Demon's Exile: Part One
by VraieEsprit
Summary: TUxOVA cont. Washu seeks a solution to Tokimi's predicament, & Tenchi has to tell Ayeka his big news. Meanwhile a shadow from the Princess's past is about to rear it's head...and Kiyone must resolve her issues if she is going to crack the case!FINISHED
1. Chapter 1

**Introduction and Disclaimer**

Here I go again. lol

The ever-expanding saga that began with Dark Heart is trotting on into it's fifth epic volume. I'm sure braincells die with every story I write...they seem to make less and less sense the further in I go, so I hope this isn't veering off on too many random curves along the way.

This story hinges on a few ideas drawn in from all over the Tenchi-verse. It also focuses in on something that Mihoshi says in the English dub of Tenchi Universe. In Sasami's world, in the playground, she refers to Ayeka as "Ayeka of the dark past". This has always made me wonder - what inspired that? Mihoshi often has strange ideas where Ayeka is concerned - her fixation with Ayeka being an old maid if she doesn't marry Tenchi, among others - and she's given to making extremely perceptive observations without really realising she's done it (as she does in Tokyo when she talks to Kiyone about Ryoko's sensitivity).

Coming though it does within Sasami's world is also interesting - since Sasami is Ayeka's sister and would have more idea of Ayeka's past than any other character in the show. So this story is based around the idea that there IS something in Ayeka's past that we don't know about. Work with me here. ;)

We've also another character/character duo making an appearance from outside the Tenchi Universe series. Their roles/purposes have been very greatly altered from the original to make them fit with my concept. (In the case of one of them, I would have thought that a good thing...)

Obviously this story will also bring some closure/conclusion to the Tokimi situation, and it will involve Miho-Kiyo once more, because I love them muchly :D I got a kick out of writing Mihoshi in Hawk of Jurai, so I really want to bring her and her unique detective skills into this one too. As for Kiyone, I had a certain idea for her when I finished Hawk of Jurai, so I'm hoping to work the theme into this one.

For some completely random reason, this story seems to be a tad darker in places than I originally imagined. I'm going to blame the dark winter nights, they always have an odd effect on me :S Still, hopefully it will all work out - I guess time will tell! Apologies in advance for any graphic descriptiveness...

Usual legal junk applies :)

_((For readers of **After The Rain**, the end of Part 1 will be uploaded soon. As for whether any more will be, that all depends on the general opinion when I've done with the first part :) although this story for now is going to take precedence.))_

**Synopsis**

_It's been six months since the destruction of the planet Kihaku, and since that day, Tokimi has lain in a deep coma, which not even the expertise of Jurai's top scientists have been able to penetrate. Washu's determination to bring her sister back to consciousness takes her on a trip back to the planet that Tokimi once declared war on - taking an apprehensive prince and a reluctant pirate with her as Tenchi and Ryoko realise that telling Ayeka their news face to face is only the fair thing to do._

_Meanwhile, when Kiyone and Mihoshi are called to a seemingly routine rescue pick up, it begins a spiral of events that could threaten not only Kiyone's job but her very life. Someone - or something - is following her across space, teasing at her nightmares and causing those around her to question whether she's competent to do her job to the best of her ability. Frustrated, Kiyone is determined to clear her name - but exiled to Jurai and with the shadow of Seiryo Tennan's presence ever a threat, her task is already proving difficult._

_But what Kiyone has stumbled into is far bigger than just clearing her own name. The death of Kihaku has set in motion a sequence of events which released a spirit of the darkest nature - one whose sights are set firmly on the royal house of the Planet Jurai!_

**DEMON'S EXILE: PART ONE**  
**A Tenchi Muyo! Fan Fiction**  
**by**  
**VRAIEESPRIT**

**Chapter One**

_"No!"_

_The young girl wrestled against the grip of the guards, fear and apprehension in her ruby eyes as she fought to release herself from their grip. "Daddy, no! Let me go! Let me go!"_

_In the furthest corner of the room, his expression rich with anguish, the man watched the two burly men place his daughter in the wooden seat, carefully and firmly strapping her arms to the frame as a woman in a white coat flitted around her, carefully attaching diodes and sensors to several points on her skull. Though there were many people in the room, the man was only aware of the girl and the floods of tears that poured down her cheeks as she tried to release herself from her enforced prison._

_"Daddy, please! Help me! Help me!" She begged. "I'm so scared! Why are you doing this? Why won't you help me? Daddy?"_

_The man sighed, his gaze flitting across the chamber to the doorway as he caught sight of his wife. Her expression was as apprehensive as his own, and he held out a hand to her, biting his lip as she came slowly to his side._

_"I don't like this." She spoke in soft tones, and her companion shook his head._

_"Nor I." He murmured. "But it's for the best, Misaki-chan. We have no choice. We have...no choice."_

_"I...I suppose I know that." Misaki bit her lip. "But Haru...our daughter. What have we done to her?"_

_"It's not our doing." Haru drew a heavy breath of air into his lungs as his daughter's frightened appeals for help penetrated his thoughts once more. "We're dealing with forces beyond our control, Misaki. This is the only way...to make sure she...she's all right."_

_Misaki did not reply, and Haru turned his gaze back to the middle of the chamber. The girl had given up her fight against her restraints and the tall, white-coated physician set down a syringe on the table beside her, turning and bowing her head to her superior._

_"Prince Haru, I realise this is difficult for you." She said softly. "Are you sure you wish to proceed?"_

_Haru looked troubled._

_"Yes." He said at length. "For her sake as much as for our own, I must. We must. Do what you have to do, Dr Kurashida. But please, leave our daughter's mind intact."_

_"It's always a risky procedure." The woman's expression softened, and she touched the girl's cheek gently, wiping away the tears that still glittered on her lashes. "And on one so young, too. But I believe she is strong, Haru-dono. And I will do my best."_

_"Kurashida-sensei, she will still know who I am when she wakes up, won't she?" Misaki asked anxiously, and the doctor smiled._

_"I have no intention of going so deep into her memories, Misaki-sama." She assured the apprehensive woman. "I'm only going to deal with the most recent events, starting with the...business with Lady Sasami, and working back. By the time I'm done, none of it will remain. She will be a happy, merry little girl again. That's my intention, anyway. Do you trust my expertise enough to let me try?"_

_"We have no choice." Haru said heavily. "Act for us, Dr Kurashida. We're relying on you."_

_He gripped his wife's hand tightly, seeing tears in Misaki's own eyes as the doctor began to key some instructions into the big computer that stood to one side of the chair._

_"How is the Lady Sasami?" She asked softly, as she glanced at the data on the screen. "She is recovering well, I trust? For one so young, she's certainly sturdy."_

_"She's a lot better, yes." Haru nodded his head. "Tsunami be praised but she doesn't seem to have suffered any ill effects."_

_"That's good to hear." The doctor smiled. "Then there is even more reason to hope this procedure will be a success. For Sasami-sama to have a close bond with her sister...I think that's most important of all for both of them, don't you?"_

_"Ayeka did not do anything to hurt Sasami." Misaki said stolidly. "She wouldn't...not my Ayeka! She...she wouldn't."_

_"Misaki-chan...hush." Haru said softly. "We know how you feel and you know steps have been taken. This is the last one. Ayeka won't remember those things, and so it won't happen again. How can it, when the source of the problem has been sent so far away from Jurai's throne? She will be as Dr Kurashida said - our happy, merry little girl. That's what we want...both our daughters safe and content."_

_"Yes, I know." Misaki dropped her gaze. "I just can't understand..."_

_"Prince Haru?" _

_A man's voice interrupted the sombre proceedings and Haru watched as a tall, fair haired man, garbed in the uniform of a Galaxy Police Elite Agent stepped into the chamber, pulling his cloak from his shoulders as he did so and saluting the prince and his wife with a warm smile._

_"Just to inform you, my Lord, that all has gone according to plan." He said softly. "Lady Kuroda's sentence was carried out without incident this afternoon."_

"And the girl? What about her?"

"As you requested, she has been removed from Jurai. Her exile has been proclaimed and steps have been taken to keep her from ever returning. Everything is fine, Lord Haru. It's all over."

_"Thank you, Agent Kuramitsu." Haru nodded his head, relief flickering in his red eyes. "Then it really is over. At last. It really is."_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

It was morning.

As the daylight streamed through the bedroom window, Tenchi gazed out thoughtfully across the landscape towards the mountain peaks that framed the valley, a smile on his face as he greeted the day. In the bright sunlight, he could see Ryo Ohki hopping through the blades of grass, half-heartedly chasing insects that flew in front of her, and his smile widened. Somehow, he mused, everything seemed right with the world. That after everything that had happened, all was finally at peace.

"Tenchi..."

A faint murmur from the bed made him turn, a tender expression touching his dark eyes as he regarded his companion. Oblivious to his attention, she was still lost in dreams and gently he bent to pull the covers more comfortably over her body, touching her cheek for a moment then pulling his hand away. She had been through enough, he mused. After their most recent adventures, it would be better to just let her sleep.

He checked his reflection in the mirror, straightening his clothing and then slipping silently out of the bedroom, pushing the door shut behind her as he made his way slowly down the stairs. As he did so, the smell of food drifted up towards him from the kitchen and he grinned, quickening his pace. So Yume was up too, at the very least. 

"Morning, Tenchi-kun." The droid glanced up from where she had been carefully preparing the soup, offering him a warm smile. "You're up early, considering it's a Sunday and you have a day off. I would have thought with everything you'd want to sleep in."

"Somehow, I just don't feel like sleeping." Tenchi admitted, taking the bowl she offered him with a grateful smile. "Maybe my stomach spoke for me, Yume-chan...certainly it was nice to come downstairs to such a tempting smell. You really are a good cook, you know."

"You think so?" Yume looked self-conscious. "I like cooking. It's strange, but I do. It seems so...normal, somehow. So _human_."

"Well, I'm glad you do." Tenchi's eyes twinkled. "I don't know what we'd do without you. Dad hates cooking when he's been working, and though he's not bad at it since Mother died, I really didn't inherit that gene. And Ryoko..."

He hesitated, and Yume laughed.

"I've heard about her adventures with the oven." She said playfully. "And that there have been a few unwanted explosions whenever Ryoko-san has tried to cook. It's quite all right, Tenchi-kun. I don't mind taking that role. After all, you and your family were kind to let me stay after everything that happened. It's the least I can do for you all."

"So long as you don't feel we're over-working you." Tenchi remarked. "Because I know Washu has you busy in the lab a lot these days too."

"Yes, true." Yume sat down opposite him, a pensive expression on her pretty face. "But the truth is, Tenchi, there's still part of me underneath Yume's disguise that's Zero. The work I do with Washu is Zero's strength - science, logic and all of those things. And the other things I do - taking care of the house and cooking for you - that's the Yume part. So I don't mind. In fact, it helps me find out who I am, if you really want to know. I can be Zero and Yume all in one and use the strengths of both. That's a good thing, right?"

"I suppose it is." Tenchi acknowledged. "Are we the only ones up this morning, by the way?"

"No...Ojii-san went down to the shrine already." Yume looked thoughtful, resting her chin in her hands as she considered. "Noboyuki-san has had to go into the office as well...he had a call late last night, and he wasn't pleased about it. But something's come up with his most recent project so he caught an early train."

"Poor Father." Tenchi finished his soup, a frown touching his features. "Sometimes he works way too hard."

"Well, he's good at his job, and they rely on him." Yume reflected. "That must be nice."

She grinned.

"What about you, Tenchi-kun?" She added. "You'll graduate soon, won't you? What will you do, when you've finished at Osaka Seikei? Are you going to train to be a shrine priest like Ojii-san, or are you going to do something with your art and design...follow Noboyuki-san's footsteps?"

"I don't know." Tenchi admitted. "Honestly, I haven't had a chance to think about it. The last year or so has been a little bit crazy from all angles. I suspect that whatever I do, after graduation, it's going to involve Jurai and the greater universe in some way. Since there are so few people on this planet brave enough to jump space zones, I don't see that I'll have a choice."

"Well, that could be fun, too." Yume pointed out. "After all, you'd get to see Lady Ayeka and Lady Sasami. I know you're fond of them both, Tenchi-kun...and they seem like very nice people to me, too."

"That's true, and they are." Tenchi agreed. "So you're right. Whatever I do, I'm sure it'll be positive."

"Something smells good in here." Washu pushed open the door of the kitchen, stopping to cast a smile at the two occupants. "Well, good morning, early birds! And I thought I was quick out of bed this morning."

"It's such a nice day, it seemed a shame to waste it sleeping." Tenchi admitted. "Morning, Washu. You know, for someone who was working until god knows what time last night to finish Ken Ohki's shields, you're amazingly sparky this morning."

"Well, sleep is overrated when there's work to be done." Washu's eyes twinkled. "And Nagi wanted to be off, so I had to do what I could last night. She left at about three this morning, and no doubt she's headed off to chase Shank down. I figured it was probably better to do what she wanted and let her go, since she did do a lot for us these last few days. And more, now Ryoko seems to be back to herself, I didn't want to risk any unwarranted explosions if they challenged one another. Some things are better left buried in the past, don't you think?"

"Good thinking." Tenchi agreed ruefully. Washu helped herself to the soup, leaning up against the unit as she ate.

"Am I guessing, then, that the only lazybones this morning is my good-for-nothing daughter herself?" She asked, her tone of voice belying the off-handedness of her words. "That figures. Any excuse to sleep in when there's work to be done. It _is_ her turn to sweep the shrine steps, isn't it?"

"I can do that." Yume shrugged her shoulders. "Ryoko-san has been through a lot lately. She should probably sleep."

"Yume, you can't do everyone's job all the time." Washu told her. "You've been working as hard as anyone recently, and you already spoil us. Besides, one of the few chores Ryoko ever manages to do is sweep the shrine from time to time. If she stops doing that, she'll really be free-loading. And that might be okay for a pirate, but she's given that life up now. It's about time she accepted some responsibility, isn't it?"

"Ryoko is one of a kind." Tenchi observed, amused. "Somehow she manages to get away with things noone else would. If the shrine doesn't get swept, Jii-chan will just ask me to do it when I walk down to help him organise his papers. It's funny but, as hard as he is on me, he rarely, if ever, nags Ryoko."

"I noticed that, too." Yume admitted.

"Well, I guess he's so desperate for his grandson to find a wife that he'll put up with a fair amount from the chosen paramour." Washu said frankly, setting her bowl down by the sink. "That's the only explanation I have."

"Washu!" Tenchi reddened, and Washu grinned.

"What?" She asked innocently.

"And speaking of chores, you don't exactly do a lot of them yourself...come to think of it." Tenchi pursed his lips. "You lock yourself in your lab most of the time when there's work to be done."

"Well, I don't cook. If I did, you'd probably not live to digest the result." Washu said, amused. "I think I'd make Ryoko look like a gourmet chef. And sure, I admit that I'm not really a naturally domestic person. But I did just help you pull her back from a ghost world...so in light of that..."

"Okay, okay, I know." Tenchi held up his hands. "My point being that you have your science, and that's more important to you than everyday chores. And Ryoko..."

"Ryoko has an amazing ability to _avoid_ work." Washu laughed. "I know."

She shrugged.

"But she shouldn't skip out on her duty." She added. "I'm going upstairs anyway, so I'll wake her - I thought I'd take a bath and relax after last night's flustering."

Tenchi's heart skipped a beat at this and he stared at her, a slow realisation dawning in his mind. He shook his head hurriedly.

"No...no, that's all right. I...I'll wake her." He said hurriedly. "I mean, well, you don't need to go out of your way, and she can be grouchy first thing..."

"Tenchi?" Yume looked surprised. "Are you all right? Is something wrong?"

Washu raised an eyebrow, casting him a thoughtful glance, and Tenchi forced himself to meet her gaze.

"No, everything is fine." He said with an awkward laugh. "I just don't want Washu-san to go out of her way, that's all. I'll do it, Washu. Really. It's no problem."

"Well, all right." Washu shrugged her shoulders. "It really doesn't matter to me much any way. Just tell her from me that being abducted into ghost space doesn't excuse her from her responsibilities within this house. Okay?"

"Er...sure." Tenchi nodded. "In fact, I'll go now."

He got to his feet, setting his bowl down next to the scientist's. "Thanks for breakfast, Yume."

"You don't want anything else?" Yume looked startled, and Tenchi shook his head.

"No...you've gone to enough trouble." he said quickly. "And I have a lot to do."

With that he was gone, hurrying up the stairs two at a time and pushing open the door of his bedroom. Ryoko was still fast asleep beneath the covers and he sighed, sliding the door shut behind him and leaning up against it.

"Thank goodness." He murmured. "What were we thinking? This isn't Osaka...if Grandpa..."

He faltered, crossing the floor to the bedside and dropping down onto the covers, reaching over to shake his companion awake.

"Ryoko?" He murmured. "Ryoko, wake up! You have to get up!"

"Tenchi?" Ryoko's golden eyes fluttered open and for a moment she stared up at him in confusion. "What...what's going on?"

"You have to get up." Tenchi repeated, agitation clear in his tones. "Really, Ryoko, I mean it. If Washu or Grandpa see you here..."

"This is _your_ room." Ryoko realised, pulling herself into a sitting position as she gazed around at her surroundings. Mischief and amusement sparkled in her amber eyes. "Well, we _were_ naughty last night...weren't we?"

"Ryoko, please!" Tenchi begged. "You have no idea..."

"Oh, relax." Ryoko laughed, touching him gently on the nose. "There's nothing to be bent out of shape over, Tenchi-kun. It's not like we haven't done this before. And well, I'm sure Ojii-san wouldn't mind. After all, well, you do remember what exactly you asked me atop the shrine gateway yesterday evening, don't you? It's not like we're doing anything very wrong. We're promised to one another - isn't that right?"

"Well, yes, but..."

"So there's nothing wrong with a trial run before the big event." Ryoko smiled at him sweetly, and Tenchi groaned, shaking his head.

"Ryoko!"

"You worry too much." Ryoko looked reproachful. "You weren't so reluctant last night...you didn't tell me to go back to my room then. Why now?"

"Because last night I was...distracted." Tenchi faltered, then, "I forgot we weren't in Osaka...I mean..."

He sighed, shaking his head.

"Listen." He said quietly. "Just because we're both adults and we do certain things when we're in the city doesn't mean the rules are so easy here. And well, I don't know how Jii-chan would take it. He was raised on Jurai, after all - relaxed as he can be, he still has very traditional values about some things. Plus, I've not had a chance to tell anyone about what we discussed last night. Right now you're the only one who knows we're engaged."

"Well, we can soon change that." Ryoko shrugged unconcernedly, stretching her hand out before her and Tenchi saw the pretty ring that had once been his mother's still glittering on her finger. She touched it gently, then smiled. "After all, I do have Achika's ring to show for it. It means a lot to me, you know that."

"To me too." Tenchi admitted. "I just don't want to make things more complicated than they are. I have absolutely no problem with telling people that we're engaged now, and I understand what you're saying. But please, Ryoko, try to understand where I'm coming from, too. Just because Father thinks it's funny to tease me about women doesn't mean that everyone will feel the same way. And if Washu found out...she'd never let it drop."

"Yeah, I guess that's true." Ryoko sighed heavily. "All right, you win. But you do know how to take the romance and the excitement out of a situation sometimes, Tenchi-kun. After all, what's the point in being engaged if you can't be naughty and surrepticious around the parental home? Your father and my mother lurking behind the scenes waiting to catch us out - don't you think it's even a little bit exciting?"

"You're impossible." Despite himself, Tenchi smiled, eying her affectionately. "You always have an answer for everything."

"I guess I get that from my mother's side of the family." Ryoko looked amused. "Oh well. I suppose our secret night of passion can remain a secret, for now."

She kissed him gently on the cheek. "I'll go get up, Tenchi. Is Yume cooking? I'm hungry."

"She is." Tenchi agreed. "And apparently it's your turn to sweep the shrine steps today. Jii-chan has already gone there, so he'll probably be wondering where you are."

"And life returns to normal, just like that." Ryoko laughed. "What about Nagi? Has she gone?"

"Left early this morning, I think." Tenchi nodded.

"Good." Ryoko looked relieved. "I don't know what that woman thinks where I'm concerned...not these days. But I'd rather not risk Achika-sama's ring in a battle of superiority with a bounty hunter, and you know I wouldn't refuse her challenge if she laid it down before me."

"I'm glad about that." Tenchi bantered. "Go on. Go get up. I'll see you later."

Ryoko winked at him, then her form flickered and blurred into nothing and with a sigh of relief, Tenchi sank back onto the empty bed.

"Close." He murmured. "I suppose I should head down to the shrine myself. It won't just be Ryoko who Grandpa's waiting for - I did promise to help him sort stuff out today, before all of the madness happened with Ryoko and that ghost ship. Since things are back to some semblance of sanity, I ought to keep my promise. I know he'd say that life goes on as normal."

"That does seem to be an optimistic assertion, for this house."

A voice from the doorway startled him and he glanced up, his cheeks reddening as he observed Washu watching him. She smiled.

"Talking to yourself is supposed to indicate madness." She added.

"I thought you were having a bath." Tenchi recovered himself, eying the scientist in confusion. Washu shrugged.

"I am." She agreed. "But I needed a fresh towel. You know, Tenchi, I could have sworn I heard two voices in here just a minute ago. Not just one."

"I don't know what you mean." Tenchi said hurriedly, and Washu let out a peal of amused laughter.

"No, I'm sure you don't." She said ambiguously. "Did you manage to wake Ryoko?"

"Yes. She's getting up...and I told her about the shrine, too." Tenchi nodded. "So she won't forget to do her duty, as you put it."

Washu pursed her lips, eying him keenly.

"That's funny." She remarked casually. "Because I came up the stairs right after you, Tenchi...and you haven't left this room all the time I've been hunting for a towel. Does the Jurai power stretch to teleportation now? Or are you and Ryoko communing on some psychic level?"

It was impossible for Tenchi to go any redder, and Washu chuckled.

"You are a naughty boy." She said playfully. "What would Grandpa say?"

"Washu...it's not..."

"Oh, don't worry. I won't be the one who tells him." Washu dismissed his faltering explanations with a careless gesture. "And you might as well save your breath. When I came to bed last night, Ryoko's door was open and she wasn't in her room. I'm a scientist and I follow logic - if she's not in her room, and she's not outside on the roof - which she wasn't, because I'd just seen Nagi fly off into the darkness - she must be here. With you. Stands to reason."

Tenchi bit his lip, and Washu's expression softened.

"Just be careful, okay?" She said, dropping her playful tone as she eyed him seriously. "I know you love her, Tenchi, and I won't pretend I'm not glad about it. Ryoko has had less than her fair share of love in her life, and part of that is my fault, I know. But just take care. Remember where you are."

"Washu?" Tenchi looked startled, and Washu smiled, a self-conscious expression flickering in her green eyes.

"Well, I want what's best for my daughter, like any Mom." She said flippantly. "Even a daughter as out of control as Ryoko. I'm just glad someone can put up with her, that's all. I'd hate for you to mess it all up."

"I'll be careful." A smile touched Tenchi's lips and he nodded his head. "Thank you, Washu - for understanding. You won't mention this to Father or Grandpa, will you?"

"No...I don't think that's necessary." Washu shook her head. "I have a liberal mind about these things, and besides, it's none of my business. You're both adults and you can do as you see fit."

"I appreciate that. But it's not likely to happen again." Tenchi got to his feet. "Last night...well, after everything, I suppose we...forgot where we were a little bit. That's all."

"Then I'll say no more about it." Washu said lightly.

"There is one other thing, Washu-san." Tenchi said hesitantly, as he came to join her by the door.

"Yes?" Washu eyed him inquisitively. "What's bothering you now? No ill effects from your adventure in space, I hope? You seemed fine to me, when I examined you yesterday. Mind you, if you have been over-exerting yourself since..."

She trailed off meaningfully, and Tenchi reddened again, shaking his head.

"No, nothing like that." he said hastily. "It's just...I gave Ryoko Mother's ring last night, Washu."

"I see." Washu looked thoughtful. "And does she understand what that means?"

"I explained it to her." Tenchi glanced at his feet. "I think she did."

He faltered, then,

"So _you_ know what it means already?"

"Yes...I do." Washu inclined her head slightly. "Your father asked my opinion, before we left for Jurai and Sasami's Seijin No Hi festival. He explained to me what the ring had meant in the past and what Achika-sama had intended to happen to it. I advised him to leave it in your hands...that you were old enough to make your own decisions, and you'd know if it was right for you to use it."

"I see." Tenchi's eyes softened. "I didn't realise Father had spoken to you."

"Well, I'm a genius. Why not ask me?" Washu bantered. "It shows his good sense, that's all."

"I haven't told anyone else, yet." Tenchi mused. "And I suppose it's a strange kind of, well, engagement. Ryoko being Ryoko and me being me. But that's okay. It seemed the right thing to do...and it still does. The next logical step in wherever it is we're both going. You know what I mean? I think she felt that too."

"I have no doubt she did." Washu nodded. "Her emotions have always been unstable, Tenchi. That's one of her biggest design flaws. But it does seem to give her the capacity to love on a grand scale. You're her lucky victim, so it's a good thing you've been persuaded to see things the same way. She's a pretty persistant young lady, when she has an idea in her head."

"No kidding." Tenchi agreed ruefully. "But I can live with that."

He glanced up at the clock.

"I suppose I'll head to the shrine and if Ryoko hasn't beaten me to it, I'll talk to Jii-chan about it." He added. He paused, then eyed Washu doubtfully.

"Unless you think I should be, you know, coming to you to ask for permission to marry your daughter."

Washu stared at him for a moment. Then she burst out laughing.

"To me?" She asked. "Tenchi, you really do have some funny ideas sometimes. Believe me, it's no part my place to give consent to either one of you. I've been significantly absent from Ryoko's life for a long enough time. No, you both knock yourselves out. You will, anyway - what I think doesn't matter in the final analysis."

"No, but I'd like to know that we have your blessing, even if we don't need to have it." Tenchi said awkwardly. "Ryoko doesn't have a father, but she does have a mother, and well..."

He trailed off, and Washu eyed him affectionately.

"Since you're the only man who seems able to put up with my daughter's quirks, I guess I can't possibly object." She teased. Then she smiled, dropping the playful tone.

"Listen to me, Tenchi. I envy Ryoko, sometimes. It's not easy to be in love with someone and not be able to see them, or spend time with them. Ryoko has been through many things to get and keep your affection, and she's succeeded. If she can be happy doing that, then I endorse it with all my heart."

"Washu-chan." Tenchi eyed her keenly, then, "You sound like you speak with experience."

"Sadly, I do...but it was a long time ago and I'd rather not unbury the memory more than I have to." Washu shrugged matter-of-factly. "It's past and there's no changing it. Besides, I'm no spring chicken, now. The future is for you and Ryoko - not old women like me."

Tenchi raised an eyebrow, eying his companion's youthful visage sceptically.

"Twenty thousand years might be your true age, Washu, but you're not old in spirit and nor do you look it." He objected. "So stop fishing for compliments. You're making us both late for the things we have to do, and I know you well enough to know when you're playing with me."

"Shame." Washu looked resigned. "Oh well. I suppose you're right. Good luck with your spitfire, Tenchi. I think you'll probably need it."

With that she was gone, and Tenchi followed her slowly out of the room, heading down the steps to the front door. Sliding on his shoes, he made his way along the pathway that led to the Masaki shrine, running his mind over their conversation as he did so.

"Well, at least Washu understands." He reflected at length. "I wonder what did happen - Sasami hinted at the fact she'd lost someone, but I don't like to pry. Still, at least she seems to want Ryoko and I to work things out. That's a good sign. Washu isn't someone you want conspiring against you, and she has an uncanny knack for seeing things other people don't."

"Morning, lover. Did you wait for me?"

Before he could reach the shrine gateway, a pair of slender arms wrapped themselves around his shoulders, and he was aware of Ryoko's teasing tones in his ear. He grimaced, turning his head to meet her mischievous gaze.

"Are you trying to make me jump?" He asked. Ryoko shrugged.

"Added bonus if I did." She replied unrepentantly. "You took your time. Were you waiting for me? Or did you just get distracted?"

"Actually, I was talking to your mother." Tenchi admitted. "Ryoko, loose me, will you? You're pulling on my neck, hovering round me like that."

"Washu?" Gently Ryoko obeyed, flitting alongside him as she cast him a sidelong glance. "About?"

"Mother's ring." Tenchi replied. Ryoko raised an eyebrow.

"And?"

"She seems to approve." Tenchi shrugged. "She doesn't mind, anyhow - she's not going to try and make trouble."

"That's good to know." Ryoko let out her breath in a rush, relief in her golden eyes. "It's weird, but I was almost dreading telling her. You know how funny she can be, and how much she can tease. I'm glad you told her. She'd only wind me up and make me mad at her."

"Maybe." Tenchi acknowledged. "Ryoko, are you getting shy about our relationship, now?"

"No..." Ryoko shook her head, dropping carefully down onto the ground as they reached the shrine. "But this part of it is so new it almost doesn't seem real, somehow. I mean, you wanting to marry me and all. That came out of the blue. And while it's what I want - well, I want to do whatever it takes to keep you, Tenchi-kun, and I know what a big deal this is - it still seems a little...surreal. That something might break the charm."

"Sometimes you surprise me." Tenchi remarked. "When you say things like that."

"Well, I guess that's me. Full of surprises." Ryoko shrugged, embarrassment in her amber eyes. "So you still want to marry me, now it's morning and everything?"

"You shouldn't even need to ask that question." Tenchi told her reproachfully. "I don't change my mind that easily, and I wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean it. Don't you know that by now?"

"Guess I do." Ryoko nodded. "But also, the last week has been a bit unreal for me anyway...with Hotsuma and all of that. I suppose I'm still grounding myself in the fact that this is reality. If it turned out not to be now, I think I'd explode. Really."

Tenchi laughed.

"Good thing this is the real world, then." He teased. "The shrine would need twice as much sweeping if you exploded all over it."

"Funny." Ryoko grimaced in his direction and Tenchi shrugged, grabbing her hand and squeezing it tightly.

"We have work to do." He said softly. "But rest assured, Ryoko, I'm not going to change my mind. You're stuck with me for good now...that's just how it is."

"That's fine with me." Ryoko acknowledged. "I just hope you really know what you've let yourself in for, that's all!"


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

"That was exhausting."

Ayeka, Crown Princess of the Planet Jurai sank down into the vacant throne with a sigh, relief crossing her face as she realised her morning's work was at an end.

"Who would ever have thought it would be so difficult to settle a simple, matter of fact land dispute?"

At her right hand, her husband let out an amused chuckle, resting a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"When you involve the nobility of Jurai, my dear, anything is possible. As you saw this morning." He remarked. "That it didn't denigrate into a sword fight is only thanks to your unique talent for scaring errant, well born men into their rightful places. But you did settle it, and I think, to everyone's satisfaction. You should be pleased. They won't be back to plague you again."

"I know...but it's one of those Imperial duties I hate, Takeru." Ayeka admitted. "Especially when Uncle is away and I have to oversee all these things in his absence. It's such a petty life, somehow...all these people have more land than they know what to do with. It's just a way to perpetuate old rivalries within sight of the Emperor. Or in this case, his representative."

"Yes, well, that's how the noble class works." Takeru admitted. "The Imada family are only exempt from such squabbling now because you and I are married. Father feels that noone can possibly question the status of our family, if I'm the Prince Consort. So he keeps out of it. But the others...well, they still have their standing to spat over. And so it will continue, on into the next generation."

"I suppose so." Ayeka rested her chin in her hands. "How I do dislike that Lord Hirata. He is arrogant, and his son Jun is no better. They are a pair of idiots, who think they know better than anyone how this planet should be run. And as for Lord Takaya - he's out for anything he can scrounge from his neighbours, through fair means or foul. It's quite disheartening, if I'm honest. Jurai is the greatest empire in the known universe. And yet..."

"And yet it's ruling class act like mice fighting over the last piece of cheese." Takeru nodded. "I know. Seems a shame, doesn't it?"

"Yes." Ayeka acknowledged. "But it's over and done with, thank goodness. Believe me, Hirata-dono and Takaya-dono have done themselves no favours with me this morning, even if they think they've both gained something materially. I don't want men like that taking positions of responsibility when I am Queen. The planet might fall apart."

"If you use that as your judgement, you might not have a government when you are Empress, Ayeka-chan." Takeru chuckled. "I didn't think you were such an idealist."

"I'm not." Ayeka spread her hands. "But such greed...it's so rude."

She sighed again.

"Oh well. Uncle will be back tomorrow, and he can take over any further business then." She added. "Thankfully. I can wait for my turn at the crown, Takeru-san. Believe me."

"Lady Ayeka?" A voice from the doorway made both Princess and Consort glance up, Ayeka smiling wearily as she recognised Azaka, one of the Knights of Jurai. She gestured for the older man to join them and he did so, bowing low before the throne.

"Lady Ayeka, Lord Tennan is without." He said softly. "He says he was summoned here...shall I tell him to come through?"

"Seiryo Tennan?" Takeru frowned. "Ayeka? What is that about?"

"Believe me, I don't know." Ayeka looked non-plussed. "The further that odious man is from me, the better. Speaking of rude, Takeru..."

She sighed, shaking her head.

"But no, _I_ would be being rude if I refused him entrance. Especially if he thinks he's here on some purpose." She realised. "All right, Azaka. Tell Lord Tennan to come on in. I will see him."

"Yes, Hime-sama." Azaka bowed his head again, withdrawing from the throne room. Within a few minutes the door swung back again to reveal a tall, well-figured young man of about Takeru's age, dressed impeccably in the attire of a Lord of the Council and with his family's emblem engraved into the buckle of his belt. Thick, curly hair was tamed back from his face in a warrior's queue, and from the sharpness in his teal eyes, it was clear that this was not one of Jurai's more foolish men. In his hand he carried a narrow, black container, and as he reached the steps to the throne he paused, his gaze meeting Takeru's. For the briefest of moments he hesitated, then made his bow.

"Lord Tennan, why are you here?" Ayeka forced civility into her tones, raising her eyebrow as Seiryo raised his malachite eyes to her ruby ones. "I wasn't aware of any summons - did my Lord Uncle ask you to come here, before he left? Or are you on some other business?"

"I have come to see Lord Takeru, Lady Ayeka." Seiryo spoke in quiet, formal tones, though dislike simmered quietly behind his well-mannered reserve. He bowed his head slightly and stiffly in Takeru's direction, then held out the black container. "It is the Unko's monthly docking fee. As ordained by Azusa-sama, I have delivered it to you in person on the date arranged."

"The Unko..." Takeru looked startled, then he returned the stiff bow, taking the container and glancing at it, flipping it open. He glanced at the contents, and nodded his head in acknowledgement. "I had quite forgotten that this was due today."

"I do not forget my obligations quite so easily, Lord Takeru." Seiryo said quietly. "Now I have done my duty, I will leave you both to yourselves."

"Wait a moment, Lord Tennan." Ayeka held up her hand, and Seiryo paused, eying his Crown Princess quizzically.

"Yes, Ayeka-sama?" He asked. "What is it?"

"Do you and your lady sister still take care of the Lady Tokimi?"

"Yes." Surprise glittered in Seiryo's eyes.

"How fares she?"

"There's nothing I can tell you, Hime-sama." Seiryo's expression became grave. "There has been no change in her condition since she was first brought to Jurai. No change at all."

"I see." Ayeka narrowed her eyes, eying him thoughtfully. "And you continue to support her, regardless?"

"As I said, my Princess...I do not forget my obligations quite so easily." Seiryo said quietly. "Suki and I undertook Tokimi's care. So we shall keep doing so, for as long as need be."

He bowed again.

"If that is all, Hime-sama..."

"Yes. Yes, you may go." Ayeka nodded. "Thank you for your prompt payment, Seiryo-dono. I will see you tomorrow, at Council session."

"Yes, my Lady." Seiryo acknowledged her words with a droll smile. Then he bowed once more, withdrawing from the chamber. As the door shut behind him, Takeru glanced down at the black box in his hand.

"Well." He said thoughtfully. "He still hates doing that as much as he did the first time."

"I know." Ayeka sighed. "Takeru, what do you make of Lord Tennan these days?"

"Honestly?" Takeru looked surprised. Ayeka nodded.

"I know you had a fierce rivalry as boys." She agreed. "But he seems harder to make out now than he ever was before. What do you think? Are the court rumours true? Did he kill his father, or was it really the work of Tokimi and her agents? I wish I knew if we harboured a traitor in our midst."

"Lord Azusa has let the matter drop. It's hardly my place to question his judgement." Takeru sighed, sliding the container into the folds of his cloak. "And I have never liked Seiryo much, I won't lie about that."

"But...?"

"His attentiveness to Lady Tokimi is strange, considering the compromising position she put him in." Takeru shrugged. "Don't you think?"

"Yes." Ayeka admitted. "But that's just it. Sasami-chan has been to see Tokimi a few times with Lady Suki, and from all I've gleaned, she thinks that the Tennans are taking care of Tokimi almost to redress a balance. I don't quite know...that's why I asked you. I want to believe Uncle's faith in Seiryo's rehabilitation is well-founded. But I have never been quite sure how to read the Tennan family. And him most of all. While Lady Suki does seem to be a sweet young girl...Seiryo is..."

"An unknown quantity." Takeru sighed. "But he has paid the Unko's fine promptly and without demur every month so far. I admit, with the engrossing debate of Hirata-dono and Takaya-dono, it clean slipped my mind. But not his. Much as he hates showing me any deference, he comes and does his duty in person...and he does it without fail. I suppose for that I should respect him. He could easily send his sister in his stead."

"True." Ayeka agreed. "Do you think Uncle was overly optimistic to convey on him the role of Treasurer, after Lord Seiji died? Considering everything...considering that Seiryo may have been the one who ended Seiji's life...do you think he was right to act so? Or wrong?"

"I think Lord Azusa knows what he is doing." Takeru pursed his lips. "And I'm in danger of letting my personal feelings for Tennan-dono get in the way of objective judgement. If Lady Sasami has good things to say about the Tennans, I think maybe we should listen to her before we form any long term judgements about either of them. She has Tsunami's perception, after all. If anyone understands the people around her, it's Lady Sasami."

"Yes, perhaps you're right." Ayeka rubbed her temples. "There are so many things involved in being Crown Princess, Takeru. Sometimes I wish I could jump aboard my ship and flee into the stars."

"Would you take me with you, if you did?" Takeru asked softly, and Ayeka glanced up at him, seeing a playful twinkle in his eyes. She smiled, nodding her head.

"These days, I think I would." She agreed. "I'd miss you if you weren't here with me, Takeru-dono. That's the truth. I would."

"That makes me happy to hear." Takeru said with a smile. "And for now, our work is done here. We should take advantage of the lull and escape before anyone else finds a grievance to air. Will you walk with me in the night air, Ayeka-sama? A peaceful stroll around the royal trees would be relaxing."

"Yes, it would." Ayeka inclined her head slightly. "All right. It would be good to get away from the palace for a while, anyway. So much work when Uncle is away - I swear, if it's going to be like this for me one day, I don't know how I'll cope with it."

"You will, because you must. And because you're stronger than anyone I know." Takeru told her gently. He held out his hand, and she took it carefully, getting to her feet and smoothing down her skirts.

"That's why I like you. You have faith in me." She observed absently. "All right, Takeru. I'm coming. Let's escape this place, before we get inundated with more noble whiners begging for more land and property!"

------------------

Finally, the house was quiet.

Washu glanced at her reflection in the mirror, idly fingering the damp locks of red hair that were scattered across her shoulders with a wistful smile.

"Well, Washu-chan, you're not getting any younger, now that's for sure." She mused. "Old enough to have a daughter getting married - that's a scary thought in itself. Still, I suppose it happens to the best of us. When you shut yourself away, it's easy to forget time is passing around you. But when you've other people growing and changing...well, I suppose it's harder to ignore."

She reached for her thick violet hair-tie, pulling it carefully into her mane of hair as she brushed stray strands out of her face, squinting more closely at her appearance, then smiling.

"I might be old enough to have a grown up daughter, but I don't see any wrinkles just yet." She decided, touching her cheek and then smiling ruefully. "I still look young and pretty, and that's a good thing. Ryoko would never let me hear the end of it if I let myself go. And now, back to work. Everyone else is busy, so I should have plenty of time to work on things without too many interruptions. It's better Ryoko and Tenchi aren't involved in this, anyway. Ryoko would only laugh if she saw me, and Tenchi wouldn't really understand why I'm doing this. So, better off to do it when I'm alone. What they don't know won't hurt them, after all."

She glanced at her hands thoughtfully, then smiled, closing her eyes as she focused on shifting her molecules. As she opened her eyes, she found herself in the hallway outside her laboratory and she pursed her lips, eying the doorway with a rueful grimace.

"Well, I was close." She told herself, pushing open the door and stepping inside. "Boy does it take it out of you, though. This is no good! The one time I care about doing something with my magic and it's beyond pathetic. But if I'm going to work out how to properly use this Kii power in order to help my sister...well...I have to figure it out sooner or later. And sooner would be better, all things considered."

"Washu-san, why are you talking to yourself?"

Yume emerged from the shadows at the back of the lab, making the scientist jump and she put a hand to her chest, turning to face her companion.

"Yume! I completely forgot you'd still be here." She said, embarrassed. "I'm sorry - I guess I thought everyone else was out."

"I just finished cleaning up in the kitchen." Yume shook her head, a slight look of hurt entering her eyes. "I'm sorry - did you not want me here?"

"Oh...I'm sorry." Washu sighed. "It's not that - you just startled me, that's all. But I suppose it doesn't matter if you're around - actually, you might be able to help me, in the long run."

"I might?" The hurt expression faded from Yume's gaze at this and she offered her companion a smile. "You're not beginning another new project already, Washu-san?"

"Sort of." Washu glanced at her hands. "Remember what we talked about, yesterday? When everything was all right again, and you found me in the living room, thinking?"

"Yes." Understanding crossed Yume's face. "You're going to experiment with your Kii magic, aren't you?"

"I am." Washu agreed. "Because the more I think about it, the more I'm sure Tokimi's recovery will depend on it somehow. I was thinking it over all last night when I was working on Ken Ohki's shields, and I remember clearly that there were times Father drew on the planet's spirit to help heal someone who was sick or badly wounded. I never discovered how he did it. In fact, we argued about it a few times."

She looked shamed.

"Once he tried to teach me." She admitted. "He wanted to show me how to channel the gifts Kihaku had...well, he said, 'blessed' me with. But I told him it was useless magic, and that there was nothing it could do that the Juraians hadn't already put into practice. He was livid with me - I spoke in innocence at the time, but I really didn't realise what the point was."

"You and your father really weren't close, were you?" Yume reflected. Washu shook her head.

"No. Not at all." She agreed pensively. "I would venture up to the settlers' compounds a lot, and see what I could discover. Once or twice I even wound up playing with a couple of the children that were staying there. Their parents were not happy, when they found out their darlings were spending their free time with a Kii, so it didn't last very long. But I was quick to pick up their language and they gave me one or two books, while I was with them. I read those things over and over till I knew what they said by heart, and it made me want to know so much more, Yume-chan."

She bit her lip, looking sheepish.

"When I was fourteen, I used my Kii magic and broke into one of their library compounds." She added. "I didn't steal anything - that wasn't why I went. I just wanted to read. Every day after that for a whole month I would go there in the morning, choose a few books and seclude myself somewhere they couldn't see me. Usually somewhere up high, where noone would think to look. I learnt so much from those things - but then Father found out and he put a stop to it. I got another beating for it...I suppose he really taught me to hate him. He never properly explained why I shouldn't be interested in the Juraian books or knowledge. He just forbade it, and got angrier the more I disobeyed his commands. We were at loggerheads for a very long time, really. And by that point I was so fed up I refused point blank even to consider learning about my heritage. Now I regret that - but things can't be taken back. So if I can't do it the easy way, I guess the only route left open to me is the hard one."

She shrugged, offering a nonchalant smile.

"Well, I always liked a challenge." She added. Yume smiled.

"I don't know much about magic, except that the magic Tokimi used could hurt me and alter my settings wildly." She said. "Even though it touched me directly, I can't analyse the data from that day, or even explain what it was she did to me. I don't know what use I'll be to you, Washu-san - but I'd like to help, if I can."

"I'm not sure if you can either, but we'll see." Washu eyed her finger-tips thoughtfully. "In truth, the one I might be able to learn something from is Ryoko, since she has such a good grasp of her magic. But I'm afraid that's a step-down I'm not willing to make. I've nagged her enough about her lack of discipline. I'd never hear the end of it."

"Ryoko's magic is not like Tokimi's. I can counter the power she uses with my forcefields, if need be." Yume said thoughtfully. "I don't think it's the same thing at all, Washu-san. Not if Tokimi's power was Kii."

"Tokimi had the planet's spirit, so her magic was exponentially stronger. Even with Tsunami's gemstones incorporated into her body, Ryoko wouldn't have been a match." Washu shook her head. "And nor would I, either. Besides, Ryoko's magic is a meshing of Jurai's power and my own Kii magic - plus whatever other attributes Kagato managed to harness in his lifetime. I don't think we're talking about divine power or anything like that. Just the native Hakubi magic. The things I should have learnt when I had the chance, but didn't. I've been stupid, but there had to be a reason why the Hakubi tribe were Kihaku's chosen - why they alone could govern the spirit of that world, and no other. It's because of this magic, that's why. The Hakubi had a gift that other Kii didn't have. Why or where it came from, I don't know...really, right now, it's not important and I'm sure the evidence is probably lost in time and space. Even blown to pieces with Kihaku itself. But that's the reason the Hakubi were the Priests and Priestesses. Kihaku didn't give them their magic. They used their magic to harness Kihaku's spirit and control it. Those are quite different things, when you come to think about it."

"You seem to have theorised a lot since last night, Washu-san."

"Too much, in truth." Washu frowned. "It's easier to base my research on scientific principles and on logic than on anything else. A bad habit, I think...I have a feeling Kii magic can't be governed by those principles."

"Probably not." Yume agreed. "But at least it's a start, isn't it?"

"It is." Washu spread her hands, glancing at her finger-tips as light glittered faintly from the ends. "I just have so many questions. How strong is this magic of mine? Is it too long dormant, or can I raise it inside of me to the pitch my father once wielded his? How much of it relies on Kihaku's spirit to do important things, like healing the souls of others? Can I even do that without being trained by a true Priest of my world? So many questions. No answers. Just an empty lab and a frustrated Kii scientist grasping at straws."

"Did the Kii leave written records?" Yume got to her feet, moving across to the big mainframe computer by the far wall and running her hand thoughtfully over the sensor. "Because that might be a good place to start."

"Not computerised ones, no." Washu shook her head. "Although other people may have digitised them in the time since the planet was colonised. I'm not sure. There were many languages on Kihaku, but the only one to be written down was the holy language of the Priest's tribe - so noone can probably read those files anyway. They may just not have bothered, since it's not an easy language to read even if you can speak it fluently."

She sighed, shrugging her shoulders.

"I suppose any records they did have are either at the Science Academy, or on Jurai, somewhere in their Palace library. I might get access to the latter, but after how rude I was to Azusa during Seiryo Tennan's hearing, he might not want me anywhere near his records. And there are people at the Science Academy who'd really like to kill me, so that's not an option either."

"It could be." Yume turned back to face her, her features glittering and shifting into those of another, and Washu gasped, her eyes widening with surprise and dismay.

"_Manami_!" She murmured. "But how do you...how do you know that form? I don't understand."

Yume's eyes became sad.

"When I was Zero, I impersonated her one one occasion. I withdrew files of hers from the Academy, on Clay's orders. He sought the secrets of Jurai's magic, although I don't know whether he found them." She said softly. "She was a friend of yours once, Washu-san, wasn't she?"

"Yes...a long time ago." Washu nodded. "I severed my connection with her after my involvement with Kagato, because I knew she wanted to pursue studies on Jurai and any link with me would have been dangerous. I was exiled not long afterwards, and I never really followed it up. I suppose she must have got her secondment to Jurai after all. Well well. Good for Manami."

"Yes, she did." Yume's features shimmered and blurred back into her more familiar human form and she sighed, sinking down onto a stool. "I did not realise you were close...that makes it hard. But I have her genetic information stored and I can duplicate it at will. If necessary, I can become Manami Kurashida, and access files from the Science Academy. That is, if it would be of use to you for me to do so."

"It might." Washu admitted. "Although it might also be difficult to explain, if you were caught. I don't want you to get into trouble on my account, Yume, and even though I know your genetic duplications are pretty good, someone might realise you're not the real Manami."

"Doubtful." Yume looked unhappy. "Washu, Clay eradicated Manami Kurashida when she refused to comply with his requests for information. There was much she knew that she didn't tell us, and it made Tokimi angry. So..."

Washu's expression grew sad.

"So he killed her." She murmured. "And you were a part of it, weren't you?"

"Zero was." Yume acknowledged slowly. "I...I'm sorry, Washu-san. I...I...I..."

"You did as you were programmed to do." Washu sighed heavily. "It's not you I blame...it's all right. Whatever you did then, it wasn't your fault. You were only Zero then. Things have changed."

She sighed.

"But if Manami is dead, surely the Academy know about it?"

"No." Yume shook her head, guilt still in her lilac eyes. "She was in the habit of taking long sojourns into deep space - doing research or some such thing. When Clay and I...when we took her aboard Clay's ship, she was in the middle of one such trip. She...well, nobody ever knew anything happened to her. Except for Clay, Tokimi and I."

Washu looked grave.

"It seems almost wrong, to sneak into the Academy on the basis of stealing information...under the identity of a dead friend and former colleague." She said slowly. Yume dropped her gaze, nodding.

"I know." She whispered. "I am sorry, Washu-san. I didn't realise."

"No, I know." Washu held out her hand to the droid and hesitantly Yume took it, surprise crossing her features as she did so.

"Washu-san?"

"I want you to go there, and create as little fuss as possible." Washu spoke quietly. "Can you get there without space transport, or do you need to commandeer Ryo Ohki? She's still a little bruised from her encounter with Shank, and it would be hard to conceal it from Ryoko, but..."

"I do not need space transport." Yume shook her head. "If I travel in the form of Zero, I am immune to the elements of space...such as cold. And I know where I am going and what I am to do. I can cross large areas through teleportation, and I know the coordinates of the Science Academy from my previous visit. It wouldn't be a problem. I could be back within a day...if you truly want me to go."

"Yes, Yume. I truly do." Washu squeezed her companion's hand. "And thank you."

"You really don't hate me, for being involved in Manami-san's death?" Yume looked anxious. Washu hesitated, then she shook her head.

"Clay was her real killer. Not you." She said tiredly. "And honestly, I shouldn't be surprised. Bad things do happen to the people I get close to, you know. It's just the way things are...I suppose it's my fault too, in light of that. I'm a dangerous person to befriend, when all is said and done."

"That's silly." Yume frowned. "I already told you that curses are not logical."

"Nor is magic, but it exists." Washu smiled faintly. "Besides, I'm not a superstitious person. My observations are based on fact, not fiction. Many people I was once close to have suffered bad things since they knew me. Kichi Itokawa and Manami Kurashida were both murdered because of their connection to me. Tokimi lies in a coma, poisoned by her planet because she was my sister. They're not the only ones. I still take some blame for the death of Kihaku's people. I still ran away when they needed me, and that can't be changed, no matter what I do."

She sighed, a tragic look touching her green eyes.

"And the man I loved lost his life because he was foolish enough to fall for a Kii woman." She added softly. "If he had never met me, he would still be alive...because he would never have gone to Jurai, and he would never have been wound up in dark things beyond his control. No, Yume-chan. Manami's death wasn't your fault. Don't blame yourself for things you had no control over."

"You should take your own advice." Yume said acidly. "If everyone you cared about wound up dead, Washu-chan, how is it you're living here on the Earth in a happy family environment? How was it your science that rescued Ryoko from Sargasso, and why is it your daughter is strong and healthy if all the people you love die? You care about Ryoko a whole lot, I know you do. And yes, she's mad and she gets into silly situations. But when she does they're her own fault, they're not yours. And you're generally there to help pull her out again. I wouldn't call that cursed, would you? Tenchi, Noboyuki-san, Katsuhito-dono, Ryo-Ohki - they're all ones you care about. And me - even if I am just a droid, you helped me and gave me the chance at a proper life. On Jurai, there's the Lady Ayeka and the Lady Sasami, who are both very fond of you. And Kiyone-san and Mihoshi-san from the Galaxy Police - you saved Kiyone-san's life, you know. She wouldn't be here still, if not for you."

"I put her in danger in the first place."

"This isn't like you." Yume frowned. "Why are you being so negative?"

"I don't know." Washu looked surprised. "I suppose I am being negative, aren't I? I think I'm just frustrated, to be honest. Frustrated and a little down about things right now. I always thought I understood the universe but more and more I see I don't have a clue. I have magic that might help my sister recover, but I don't know how to use it."

She sighed.

"And I suppose, when you find out that your only daughter is engaged to be married, it makes you stop and think about your own choices and losses. I guess that's on my mind too, stupid as it may seem."

"Ryoko and Tenchi?" Shock flitted across Yume's face. "Is that official, or just you pondering?"

"No...it's for real. Tenchi told me this morning." Washu looked rueful. "He gave her his mother's ring to seal the bond, and I guess I'm not totally surprised, given all they've been through of late. But you know, it took me back a few years, that's for sure. To a time when a handsome young man wanted me to be his wife, too - I really hope I'm not going to be the jinx on Ryoko's happiness the way I was on my own."

"I didn't know Tenchi-kun was going to..." Yume faltered for a minute, then got to grips with herself. "Well, either way, I'm sure they'll be fine, Washu-san. And you must be, too. You're not the type of person who dwells on the past. So don't, all right? I'll go to the Academy - I'll go just as soon as I've done preparing lunch, in fact - and I'll retrieve the data you want me to find. And then you can begin work properly on helping Tokimi to recover her senses."

"Yes, I suppose you're right." Washu tilted her head, eying Yume keenly. "I should have broken that to you more gently, shouldn't I? I'm sorry. It's easy to lose track of who is and who isn't in love with Tenchi sometimes."

Yume flushed red, dropping her gaze.

"I love him, but I don't think it's the same." She said haltingly. "And he treats me like a sister and a friend, which is all I want, really. I don't mind if he marries Ryoko, Washu-san. It's all right."

"Mmm." Washu smiled. "Like me, you're on the fringe of their world, looking in."

"The difference is I'm happy being there." Yume responded with a shrug. "I'm a part of Tenchi's world and I have a place to belong. That's all I want to be happy, Washu-san. But I'm not human...not really. I have feelings, but my needs aren't always the same. You, on the other hand...you're no different from Ryoko, really. It must be hard to see her so happy, if you lost the one that made you that way."

"Not hard...not for a mother who loves her child." Washu said wryly. "No. I want her to be happy, and I'm glad of this development. It just made me remember. But you're right and I'm going to stop wallowing right now. Tokimi is more important and so is getting to the bottom of this. So yes, Yume-chan, thank you. If you don't mind infiltrating the Academy, that would be a big help. And then I suppose it will be a case of going to Jurai...to see if anything can be done to patch up my sister's damaged senses!"


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

In the blackness of space, the spinning planets of solar system #9-814 turned on their axes, one by one running rings around their central sun as they worked their hardest to be the first one to complete one cycle and begin a new planetary year. In the midst of their dancing and dodging, the absence of one of their brothers seemed to have completely passed them by, as the drifting debris that once made up the planet Kihaku spread and mingled with the remains of meteor showers and the frozen tails of long-dead comets.

As the bulky red vessel pushed carefully and swiftly through the centre of the space zone, one of the ship's inhabitants paused for a moment, staring out at the darkness with a thoughtful, troubled expression on her clever face. For a moment she cast a glance at her craft's radar, then back out at the universe beyond, biting her lip as she realised where they were.

"Kihaku." She murmured. "Well. So this was it. All of that...happened here."

"Kiyone?"

The voice of her partner startled her and she jumped, staring blankly at the tall, blond woman who had just entered the drive room. Somehow - though only the Gods themselves knew how - the officer had tripped over her own feet, descending into her seat with a less than elegant thud and spilling the tea she had carried in her hand all over the ship's console. Kiyone Makibi sat back in her own seat, rolling her eyes as her partner fussed around with scraps of tissue, struggling to clean the dashboard of warm green liquid before it did any damage.

"Oh Kiyone! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to!"

"No, I know." Kiyone's gaze flitted back towards the window. "It's all right, Mihoshi. Yagami's dashboard is spill-proof, you know. If it wasn't, we'd probably never be able to leave Headquarters."

"That's probably true." Mihoshi Kuramitsu giggled, pushing the soiled tissue out of her way and relaxing back in her chair, sipping the remains of her drink. "But I cleaned it up anyway. Where are we, Kiyone? I thought we were following a distress beam - why are we here? I don't see any ships in trouble in this part of space. Do you?"

"I don't see any ships at all." Kiyone admitted, unable to keep the relief from her voice. "It might just be a false alarm. In which case, we shouldn't hang around here when there's other work to be done."

"I guess not." Mihoshi pushed her face to the glass, gazing out at the debris that floated past their window. "Wow, it sure is messy out there, Kiyone. Maybe there's been a meteor storm or something."

"Or something is more like it." Kiyone's fingers ran thoughtfully over the radar screen. "You've been here before Mihoshi - this is where Washu's planet was, before she and Tsunami blew it up. At least, I think that's what happened - but either way, it's not here any more. Yagami's space map says it should be - right about where we are, in fact. But it's definitely not. I guess it just goes to show how powerful Washu's weapons can be, if she puts her mind to it."

"Wow...we're back here? Really?" Mihoshi seemed more impressed than alarmed, turning to offer her partner a beaming smile. "I remember. That woman had Tenchi and me prisoner, but Sasami turned into Tsunami and rescued us."

"Yes, so I've heard." Kiyone sighed. "Still, as you say, there doesn't seem to be anyone in trouble in this sector. So I guess whatever it was has either been resolved, or it was a false alarm. I do hate hoax calls...we should head back."

"Wait a minute." Mihoshi pressed a finger to the ship's monitor, casting her companion a quizzical look. "Do you see something over there, or did I press the wrong button on my scanner again?"

"Over where?" Kiyone frowned, squinting at the screen. Then she sighed. "No, it looks like you're right. I see it too, now. It's not a very strong signal, is it?"

"No, but I guess that's why they're in distress." Mihoshi said in her usual happy-go-lucky way. "So we should go and help them, right? Isn't that what we're here to do, partner?"

"Yes, it is." Kiyone sighed again, but obediently put her craft into drive mode, adjusting their course for the source of the signal. "Let's go."

"Kiyone, are you all right?" Mihoshi's blue eyes became big with concern as she regarded her friend, and Kiyone shrugged, nodding her head.

"Yes, I'm fine. Just tired." She said frankly. "We've been very busy lately, you know that. We've had a lot of call outs, and..."

"And you don't ever seem to want to go flying any more." Mihoshi rested her chin in her hands. "I mean, Washu fixed Yagami, so it's not like the ship can't fly. It works perfectly, now. Maybe even better than it did before. And I know you like everyone at Headquarters, but you seem to have way more paperwork to do or something these days. It's a major bummer. We should be out here helping people, but we don't seem to do it so much."

"I don't know what you mean." Kiyone bit her lip, refusing to meet her friend's gaze as she piloted her ship towards the third planet from the distant sun, from which the signal had first been located. "We've just had lots to do."

"Yeah, but we used to sometimes stop off for food or for karaoke on our trips back." Mihoshi sighed. "Or we'd just fly around for a bit, and make sure everything was fine. Now you always want to go back and work. You work way too much, you know. We could relax a bit more."

She eyed her companion keenly.

"Are you missing Ayeka and Ryoko and the others? Is that it?"

"I'm fine. Really. And we have a job to do." Kiyone said darkly. "Look...I think I see the ship now. Do you? It's a military style bug - but I can see from here that something has blown out it's main thrusters and it's engines are gone. I'm gonna try and open communication channels with the ship now...so stop babbling, all right? If they're in trouble, the last thing they'll want to think is that the Galaxy Police have sent some complete nutters to rescue them from certain death. _All right_?"

"Sure, whatever you say, Kiyone." Mihoshi shrugged her shoulders, finishing the last of her tea and setting the mug down on the arm of her chair, balancing it precariously against her hand as Kiyone activated the communication screen. "I'm sure they'll be relieved when they know the Galaxy Police have come to help them."

"Yeah, I'm so sure." Kiyone muttered, jamming buttons on with bad grace as the communication screen shot up before them.

"This is First Class Detective Kiyone Makibi of the Galaxy Police vessel Yagami." She said clearly. "Responding to a received distress signal. Can you copy me? I repeat, this is the Galaxy Police vessel Yagami. Can you read me? Over."

The screen blinked and flickered for a moment, then lit up to reveal an unfamiliar drive room. A woman's face blurred into view, her features becoming clearer by the second, and as they did so, Kiyone registered the blood that stained her brow and her cheek. Her skin was ash pale, and even at a glance Kiyone could tell she was badly wounded. A knot of fear began to wind itself around her stomach, and she swallowed hard, forcing herself to retain her professionalism.

"Can you copy me, ship? Please state your ident and status. This is the Galaxy Police craft Yagami. We've come to help you."

"The Galaxy Police?" The woman's voice was faint. "Thank Goodness...Please...we can't hold out much longer. Our engines...the motors..."

"Can you state your ident and status, please. We are drawing alongside you and are preparing for boarding." Kiyone said frankly.

"This is the Shitorian military bug, Tsubasa." The woman's face flickered as her image blurred across the screen. "Please...we can't last much...we need..."

The screen went abruptly dead, and Kiyone bit her lip, exchanging looks with her companion.

"She must've hit the wrong button. That's so easy to do." Mihoshi frowned. "She looked kinda upset though, didn't she? We better go see what's up, hadn't we, Kiyone? Maybe there are people hurt on the ship."

"Well, she sure didn't look too fit, that's for sure." Kiyone admitted. "I'm going to release the boarding tunnel and then we'll go and see. I guess when the engines blew out, people must have been hurt...that's the only thing I can think of. The craft is stable, but it doesn't look in very good shape."

"Or it was attacked by something." Mihoshi suggested cheerfully, oblivious to the expression on her companion's face as she got to her feet, knocking the tea mug to the floor and shattering it into hundreds of pieces. "Oh! Whoops! I forgot about that."

"We have others." Kiyone rolled her eyes. She stood, glancing down at the ship's computer system for a moment, then retrieving her weapon, sliding it into it's holster. "All right. Contact has been made - let's go see if we can find survivors. If something attacked this ship, it's long gone now."

"Yeah. There are no other ships, except ours, right?" Mihoshi pursed her lips, clearly thinking things over carefully. "Did she say Shitorian?"

"Yes, she did." Kiyone grabbed her friend by the hand. "Stop dreaming, will you? And come on?"

"That's a real bummer, if their ship is from Shitori." Mihoshi obediently quickened her pace following her companion down to the bottom level of the expansive police craft, to where the boarding tunnel's entrance was situated. "I used to go there when I was a little girl. Father would take us - Misao was just a baby then, and we'd have so much fun. I hope they're not hurt."

"You are so random sometimes, Mihoshi." Kiyone sighed. "What has a holiday on Shitori got to do with us helping out a few of their stranded armed forces?"

"Well, I don't know." Mihoshi said with a casual shrug. "I just thought of it, that's all. Because it's weird and all, that it should come from Shitori."

"Not really. Shitori isn't far from this part of space...they must have gotten into trouble on their way home." Kiyone shrugged, leading the way into the tunnel as she fought hard against her rising trepidation. "It happens, as we well know. They're lucky we received their signal."

"Well, that's the funny thing." Mihoshi skipped along behind, completely unconcerned. "I didn't know Shitori had a military force, that's all. Weird, huh? But they must have...because here we are."

"Sometimes I wish I knew how your brain worked." Kiyone muttered, as they stepped off the tunnel and onto the ship proper. She glanced around, biting her lip as her hand closed around the butt of her weapon. "All right. Split up. You go that way, and I'll go this. If you find anyone alive, get them back to Yagami. Don't try and do anything else. If you need help, signal me, and I'll do the same for you. It should be fairly straight-forward - and it looked like some of them might need medical assistance."

"All right." Mihoshi nodded her head. "You can count on me, Kiyone! I'll help them any way I can!"

With that she ran off along the corridor in the direction Kiyone had indicated and the dark haired officer sighed, closing her eyes briefly as she leant back against the ship's wall.

"I swear, sometimes she still gives me a headache." She muttered, rubbing her temples. "Even if we have been through so much stuff together, I still don't know how she thinks. I mean, what on earth was she talking about - holidays on Shitori? Sometimes, I swear, she's only a few steps away from lunacy."

Slowly she pulled her gun from her holster, holding it at waist level as she made her way cautiously along the corridor towards the back of the ship.

"Hello?" She called. "Is there anyone there? This is Galaxy Police Detective First Class Kiyone Makibi - we've come to help."

There was no response, and something about the dark eeriness of the ship set her nerves on edge. She swallowed hard, forcing herself to continue as she glanced in on rooms here and there along the way. The ship seemed deserted, however, and as she reached the main communications room, she found the woman she had spoken to only moments before. She lay sprawled on the floor, blood gushing from a wound across her throat and Kiyone dropped down at her side, searching in vain for any sign of life. Fear gripped her heart as she registered the woman's condition.

"You weren't hurt like that when we spoke. That's a fatal wound." She whispered. "I was wrong - whatever hurt you - it's still here."

She swallowed, then,

"Mihoshi! Oh, she might walk right into something..."

Her finger hovered above the signal button on her watch, then she hesitated, shaking her head.

"Mihoshi has unbelievable luck." She said firmly. "She'll be all right, and if she's not here, I can at least try and find out what's going on here."

She got to her feet, her gaze resting briefly on the woman's still body, and she frowned.

"A military bug from Shitori." She murmured. "But come to think of it..."

She paused, glancing around the drive room with new eyes. "Maybe Mihoshi had a point. This doesn't look much like a military vessel. In fact, I'd almost say it was...something else."

Her frown deepened and carefully she moved the woman's cooling body aside, placing her hands on the ship's control panel as she accessed the craft's CPU. Immediately, an _access denied_ screen flashed up before her, and she sighed, shaking her head.

"Top secret, no doubt." She muttered. "I wonder...would you have a pass to get into this system? A key, perhaps? Because if I didn't know better, I'd swear this was a..."

She trailed off, kneeling at the woman's side and examining her body carefully, quelling the nausea that rose inside of her as she ran her fingers over the dead officer's wrists. At length she found what she was looking for and, wiping the specks of blood from it, she pressed it into the system, turning it and glancing at the data that flashed onto the screen. She pursed her lips.

"I thought so." She murmured. "This isn't a military bug at all, and it's not from Shitori. It's a spy ship...a Seniwan spy ship. But why did she lie to me? She wanted our help, didn't she? What can be so top secret that someone would kill to keep it quiet - and more, that an officer would conceal the truth even to the people trying to save her life?"

She slid a hand into her pocket, pulling out a small box-like device and clipping it onto the ship's control panel as she downloaded the ship's memory. As she waited for it to finish, she conducted a cautious search of the drive room, but nothing else seemed strange or out of place. And yet...

"She wasn't dead when we spoke to her, and she didn't do that to herself." She muttered. "There are no other ships in the area, so whatever did this must still be aboard. When that's done, I think the best thing is to find Mihoshi and get Yagami the hell out of here. Seniwa can deal with their own murdered staff - Heaven only knows there are enough high ranking Seniwan officials on the Galaxy Police as it stands. It shouldn't be a problem for them."

The bleep of her device told her that her work had been completed and she detached the box, slipping it back into her pocket as she removed the key, taking that with her also as she stepped back out onto the hallway.

"Kiyone!" 

Mihoshi's voice startled her and she spun around, seeing her friend standing at the other end of the hallway, her white gloves red with blood and tears in her blue eyes. "Kiyone, we were too late! Everyone...they all died! They're all dead!"

"Same here." Kiyone bit her lip. "Mihoshi, how many did you find?"

"Two." Mihoshi's voice wavered. "I wanted to help them, Kiyone...but they were already dead."

"Yes, I found the same." Kiyone hesitated, then, "The woman we spoke to - she didn't make it. You didn't see anyone else at all?"

"No. Just you." Mihoshi shook her head. "So what do we do now? Do we go back to Headquarters and report this?"

"I think so." Kiyone agreed. "But you know...when you said you didn't know Shitori had a military force, what did you mean?"

"Does it matter?" Mihoshi looked surprised. Kiyone shrugged.

"I don't think this is a Shitorian ship at all." She said vaguely. "That's all."

"Well, of course it isn't. It's a Seniwan ship, silly." Mihoshi shook her head. "Isn't that what the report said?"

"No..." Kiyone's eyes narrowed. "No, it isn't."

"Oh. Well. That's what it is." Mihoshi shrugged her shoulders. "My father used to have one just like it. It's weird really, isn't it? That we'd come aboard a ship and it'd be from my planet? I just wish we could have helped them, that's all. Don't you?"

"Yes." Kiyone sighed. "All right. Let's go back. Let's go back to Yagami."

"I'm right with you." Mihoshi nodded her head. "The commander won't be able to believe this."

"You know, Mihoshi, when you said your father had a ship like that one..." Kiyone pursed her lips, leading the way back along the passage to the waiting police craft. "What kind of a ship was it? I know he worked for the Elite Force for a long time, before he retired. But that wasn't a Galaxy Police craft."

"No...well, Father didn't always talk about his work." Mihoshi said pensively. "But he did a lot of important work, I know that."

"Did he ever...was he ever involved in spy work, do you know?"

"Father?" Mihoshi looked startled. "No, I don't think so. But if he was, he wouldn't tell me, would he?"

She laughed.

"After all, I might tell someone by accident."

"True." Kiyone sighed. "All right. I was just curious, anyway."

"Do you think that ship was a spy ship, Kiyone?" Mihoshi's eyes became big. Kiyone nodded her head.

"I think so." She agreed. "And from a glance at the ship's files, it was sent here to monitor a very particular thing. Whatever it was, it was top secret. So secret that the woman told us she was from a completely different planet, just to throw us off the scent. Even though she knew we wanted to help them, Mihoshi - that means whatever it is is a big deal. We'd do better getting back to Headquarters and filing our report. This is obviously something the Elite should be dealing with. Not us."

"I guess you're right." Mihoshi agreed, pushing open the door of the drive room as Kiyone released the walkway. "It's weird though, don't you think? That all the people were dead, although there was noone there to kill them?"

"I thought that, too." Kiyone admitted unwillingly. "But I didn't see anyone. And you didn't, either. So...so whatever did happen, I don't know. I don't want to think about it, in truth. I just want to get back and hand this over to someone more experienced. There are times when I'm glad I'm not an Elite, Mihoshi. This is one of those times."

"I know what you mean." Mihoshi said fervently. "All that blood. And Seniwans, too. It sucks. I wish we could have helped them."

"All we can do now is pass the case on and hope justice can be done for them." Kiyone said sadly. "All right, Yagami. Let's get out of here."

------------------

"So, remind me again why it is we're sitting in the living room eating instant noodles?"

Ryoko set down her chopsticks, eying Washu with a quizzical look as she did so. "Where's Yume? I thought that was part of the agreement - if she stayed here with us, she'd cook."

"She's running an errand for me." Washu said simply. "And if you don't like noodles, Ryoko, you can always try and cook your own food. Of course, we might need to alert the fire department first, but you know. That's the deal. Yume isn't just the housekeeper and the cook. She's a very powerful creation and she does have other strengths than filling your stomach whenever you cry for food."

"I didn't say she didn't." Ryoko glowered. "But since when did she become your servant? I thought you said she can't be expected to do everyone's dirty work. Now she's doing yours...again. What's with that?"

"Ryoko, it doesn't matter." Tenchi put a hand on his fiancee's arm, shaking his head. "Whatever it is, I'm sure Yume will be back soon. And we won't die from eating instant food one night of the week, will we?"

"That's the spirit." Washu beamed in his direction. "And if you must know, Ryoko-chan, the errand she's gone on is an important one. I'm doing some research into things that might help Tokimi...and Yume is the only access pass I have to get into the Science Academy right now."

"The Science Academy? _Tokimi_?" Ryoko stared. "But hang on a minute. That nutty woman tried to kill Tenchi. She tried to kill all of us! Why do you want to help her!"

"She's my sister, Ryoko."

"So?"

"So I guess that makes her your aunt. You shouldn't be so harsh towards your family, masume-chan."

"Will you quit it already?" Ryoko exclaimed. "Tokimi is no family to me - she's a nutjob who should stay in a coma! That way at least she can't hurt anyone ever again!"

"Destroying Kihaku took it's toll on her, didn't it, Washu-san?" Tenchi asked thoughtfully. Washu nodded.

"Yes, and she's no longer the demonic force Ryoko thinks she is." She agreed. "Kihaku's tortured spirit has been laid to rest. She's just an ordinary woman, who was unlucky enough to be struck down by twisted magic. She's sick, she's not evil. And I want to help her remember who she used to be - if I can. So Yume has gone to the Academy in search of the files I need. She's the only one who might get past their security."

"Because of Dr Clay?" Tenchi asked. Washu shook her head, a shadow touching her gaze.

"No...she has other data to draw on to fool the security staff." She said quietly. "It doesn't matter so much how. Those files are important...and I'd like to read them over. I did so once, but it was a long time ago and at the time I was only providing a translation, anyway."

"And this time you are...?" Ryoko raised an eyebrow.

"Finding out everything I can." Washu said simply. "Although I suspect it won't be enough, I have to try."

"So we're all stuck eating ramen. Great." Ryoko sighed. "You could at least have waited till we were in Osaka or something. Or somewhere where there was actually food, before you sent her all the way across the universe."

"I almost think you miss her, Ryoko." Washu's eyes twinkled. "Where's Noboyuki-san this evening, by the way? How come you haven't pestered him to cook for you?"

"Father isn't home from work yet. He phoned a half hour ago to say he expected to be late." Tenchi grimaced. "This is meant to be his day off, but his office are demanding sometimes."

"Ah. Then that explains it." Washu sat back in her seat. "Well, it doesn't matter. Ryoko-chan, there's something else I want to discuss with you - if you don't mind."

"I'm listening." Ryoko eyed her mother warily. "What is it?"

"So suspicious?" Washu's eyes opened wide. "Nothing major. I just want to borrow Ryo Ohki for a while. That's all."

"Borrow...Ryo-Ohki?" Ryoko echoed, and Washu nodded.

"When Yume comes back, I need to take a trip to Jurai to see my sister, and see what records that planet have." She agreed. "But I don't have a spaceship to hand. And I hoped..."

"That you could commandeer mine." Ryoko's brows knitted together. "Is that it?"

"Basically." Washu nodded. "I've asked Ryo Ohki and she's agreeable - but I thought I should ask you too. After all, it would be bad manners not to."

"Ryo Ohki has only just recovered from the last adventure in space." Tenchi objected. "Are you sure she's well enough to fly again, Washu?"

"Oh, yes. She's fine, now." Washu nodded. "Ryoko's recovery marked an incredible upturn in the little one's spirits. She's much more herself."

"If you fly Ryo Ohki to Jurai, Tenchi and I will be left without space options." Ryoko frowned. "And she's my ship, Washu. Noone takes her out but me."

"Then you can come with me." Washu shrugged, unconcerned. "I don't mind. I'm sure that the Emperor is just dying to see his great niece and I suppose Jurai should know sooner rather than later that you two have progressed your relationship to an official level."

"Washu, if you're going to start in on that..." Ryoko began, but Tenchi shook his head.

"No, Washu does have a point." he said, his cheeks reddening slightly as he contemplated the scientist's words. "We both have family on Jurai. And, well, it's only fair to that family that we...or one of us...goes there and tells them about the choice we've made."

"I don't see why." Ryoko frowned. "It's not their business if we're engaged or not, you know. It's our business. We don't belong to Jurai."

"No...but I think it would be fairer if we were to go, anyway." Tenchi looked troubled. "Great Grandpa might take exception to us, otherwise. And he's a powerful man, in the final analysis. Remember, Earth are still building tentative links with Jurai. We don't want to upset them."

"At least one of you has sense." Washu nodded. "But I was thinking less about Azusa. Tenchi, I was actually thinking about Ayeka. I think she'd appreciate hearing it from your own lips...don't you?"

"Ayeka?" Ryoko stared. "She has even less to do with this. She's married!"

"Yes, but she considers Tenchi a very dear friend." Washu said levelly. "And she'd be hurt, if he didn't."

"Washu is right." Tenchi sighed heavily. "When you put it that way, I do owe it to Ayeka and Sasami to tell them myself, in person."

"Then it's up to you, Ryoko-chan." Washu raised an eyebrow. "Is a trip to Jurai on the cards? Or are you still convalescing from your last adventure?"

"I'm fine and you know it." Ryoko bristled.

"So we'll go?"

"I guess I'm outnumbered." Ryoko grimaced. "Fine! We'll go. When Yume comes back, we'll head to Jurai. But believe me, I'm not happy about this. I don't see why Tenchi and I have to parade our relationship for people there to gawk and gossip about. It's none of their damn business."

"And it will give you ample opportunity to tell them so." Washu was unmoved. "Thank you, Ryoko-chan. When Yume returns, we'll make preparations."

She smiled at Tenchi.

"After all, some things really are better done face to face." 

------------------

"All right, Detective. What do you have to report?"

The commander cast his junior a warm smile, resting his hands on the desk as he met Kiyone's grave eyes with gentle ones of his own. "I've bumped my meeting off the top of my schedule to see you at short notice - but I thought I sent you and Detective Kuramitsu on a routine rescue trip. Was it not routine, after all?"

"No...not really." Kiyone looked troubled. "Sir, I really don't think Mihoshi and I should have become involved, to be quite honest. We thought that it was a military bug whose engines had died, but when we got aboard, something had killed the crew. I don't know what, exactly, only that Mihoshi found two of them dead and I found one - the woman who had tried to make contact with us. She told us herself where the ship came from, but Mihoshi is sure she was wrong and I...I agree with her."

"I see." The commander frowned. "So the crew were killed - by what means? An explosion, perhaps? Or...?"

"I can only speak for the woman I found." Kiyone said frankly. "But her throat was slit."

"Murder, then. Sabotage, even." The commander looked startled.

"I think so." Kiyone twisted her hands together absently as she remembered what they had found aboard. "Mihoshi thought the ship was Seniwan and when I tried to access the CPU, it gave me Seniwan data, also. So it wasn't from Shitori at all. In fact, Mihoshi says Shitori don't even have a military force. They're a dependant of Seniwa, aren't they? So I guess she'd know."

"Detective Kuramitsu seems to have been uncommonly perceptive today." The commander reflected. Kiyone looked rueful.

"She was telling me all about a summer holiday she once took on Shitori. That's how we got into ships." She said with a slight shake of the head. "But she was right, Sir. I...well, Sir, if you don't mind me saying, I think...it might have been a spy vessel. And...and that's why the woman lied to me about it's origin. She didn't give me a name, and I didn't recognise her or the uniform she wore. But the ship's CPU required a key to access anything beyond the basic home screen."

"I see." The commander drummed his fingers absently on his desktop. "I'm sorry. Had I realised how much was involved, I would have passed the matter on to the Elite Force right away. In any case, that's what I'll have to do now. I know how you hate to lose a case, Detective, but in the circumstances..."

"No, sir. It's all right." Kiyone bowed her head. "It wasn't nice, being there and seeing these poor people slaughtered like that. I thought that it was probably better the Elite dealt with it. After all, there are a lot of Seniwan officers in the Elite Force, aren't there? And they might have insider knowledge that we don't have."

"I had forgotten Mihoshi was Seniwan." The commander rubbed his chin. "That was careless of me - considering her father's record. But it probably explains why she was so sure about the ship. Her father likely flew one very similar to it at one point in his career."

He smiled, shaking his head.

"Not that that matters now." He added. "Detective, is there anything else you can report to me about the damaged craft? It's location coordinates are logged in Yagami's computer, I trust?"

"Yes, sir." Kiyone nodded her head. She slipped a hand into her pocket, her fingers closing around the black data box, but for some reason she hesitated, changing her mind. "And that's all I know. I'll transmit Yagami's data to the Headquarters Central Computer as soon as possible, then they'll know where to pick up the ship and it's poor occupants."

"You've let this go very easily, Detective. Are you sure you're quite all right?" The commander eyed her keenly. Kiyone raised her hand in a salute.

"I'm fine, sir. Just...it's never nice to see people murdered." She said quietly. The commander nodded his head.

"Indeed." He agreed. "All right. You are dismissed. Thank you for your report, Detective Makibi...and for the urgency with which you brought it to my notice. I will ensure that action is taken right away and the relevant people are informed. You may go."

"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir." Kiyone bowed her head again, withdrawing from the office and shutting the door behind her, leaning up against the cold steel as she let out a heavy sigh. Fumbling in her pocket, she pulled out the small black data box, glancing at it hesitantly.

"If it was a spy ship, and from a powerful world like Seniwa, they might not take kindly to knowing I duplicated the system memory." She murmured. "I don't want to get in any trouble. If this case isn't mine any more, it's probably better I just erase any data I recorded there, and let the whole thing drop. Better they don't know that I might have compromised their security. I know Seniwa aren't as powerful as Jurai these days, and I might be closely aligned with a member of the Kuramitsu family. But I know they wouldn't look kindly on someone interfering in their private affairs."

She sighed, sliding the box back into her pocket.

"Besides, the mission is over and I completed my part in it successfully." She added. "I've done all I can do, and nothing went wrong. You see, Kiyone? There is nothing to be afraid of. Yagami isn't dangerous, space isn't dangerous. Nobody is going to come after you the way Agent Tennan did that night six months ago. You're being silly and Washu was right - it's just something I have to work out of my system. Things are fine now...and I'm in the thick of the action once again. No problem. I was all alone aboard that vessel, after all. There was a dead body right there and I still didn't get swayed from my purpose. It's bound to get easier now. Isn't it?"


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

"Thank you for coming with me this morning, Sasami-chan."

Suki Tennan pushed back the door of the sunny, brightly lit chamber, turning to cast her companion a warm smile as they stepped into the room. "It's always nice to visit with a friend, and I don't know if she can even hear us. But if she can, it must be nice for her too - to know that there are people thinking about her even now."

"That's what I think, too." The young Princess nodded her head decidedly, her gaze flitting across the room to the bed and it's silent occupant. "Do you think Tokimi-sama will ever wake up, Suki-oneechan? It's been six months or more since we blew up Kihaku - I guess I feel guilty. I mean, I know we had to do it, but she hasn't stirred since then and it almost seems like it's my fault."

"Your fault?" Suki looked startled, settling herself down at one side of the bed as her friend occupied the other. "But Tokimi was dangerous then, Sasami-chan. She wanted to hurt people - you especially - and she'd made my brother do such awful things. Do you really think she was better before you went to Kihaku? You set her free from the planet's curse, if nothing else. You shouldn't feel guilty for that, you know."

"I know." Sasami sighed heavily. "But I wish she'd wake up anyway. I don't think she's bad any more, you know, and I'm glad Uncle said she could stay here. But you know, Suki, when I was on Kihaku, I felt her thoughts for just a moment. She was so unhappy, trapped away inside there. She'd been tormented by Kihaku's demons for such a long time and they'd taken control of every corner of her being. And I guess now I can't reach out to her, I'm worried that she's still unhappy. That maybe I was wrong...and she'd have rather died than be kept like this. It was my decision to save her, not Tsunami's. Do you think I did the right thing?"

"I think you should always save life, if you can." Suki said contemplatively. "Yes, I think you did. But when she wakes up, she can tell you herself. _If_ she does...but I really hope she will. She seems so peaceful somehow, like this. I can't picture her the way that Seiryo and others have described her. She doesn't seem like a demonic priestess to me."

"Washu said Tokimi was always a peaceful person, before Kihaku turned her mind." Sasami reflected. "I hope you're right."

"Seiryo thinks we should bring Washu-sama back to Jurai sooner rather than later." Suki remembered. "He happened upon her, visiting her sister, and speaking to her in their old language...Kii, I think he said. He said that if Tokimi did wake up, well, it would be nice for her to have family here and I agree. Washu-sama is very clever, isn't she? Maybe she's got new ideas on how to help her get well."

"Washu's the smartest person I know." Sasami agreed. "Do you think she will come back to see Tokimi, then? I mean, they all only just left, really, and the Earth is her home now. She might not want to fly so far again so soon...I know it upsets her, having Tokimi this way. She feels she hasn't any way of fixing things and it frustrates her."

"I guess science can't do everything." Suki looked pensive. "Seiryo has been through a lot of things since he was freed from her magic, too. Juraian remedies don't seem to do anything to help him, so he's pretty much refused all and any suggestion of outside help and has battled through everything on his own. Sometimes he won't even let me get involved. In a way, it's made him different and...well...more thoughtful than he was before, but he's still to proud, sometimes. Too independant and resistant to other people's support. He won't talk about things always, but I know him and I know when he's going through it. It's not easy to see someone you love suffer, Sasami-chan. I know how Washu-sama must feel - I've wanted to take this away from Seiryo too...but I haven't been able to."

"I thought Seiryo-dono was feeling better now?" Sasami looked startled. "He's back at court and Uncle hasn't said anything - nor has Ayeka."

"He is. He's much better." Suki agreed. "He still gets tired more easily sometimes, and I know that occasionally he has a bad night...when that happens, he's short with me the next day and I know he's fighting his headaches again. But they're much less than they were when it first started. I was so worried about him then, Sasami - you know I was. I was afraid that he wouldn't be able to conquer it - but I suppose I underestimated my brother's strength and determination. Either way, he's had a lot to battle since his hearing, even if he has been forgiven by the Emperor. Tokimi's been hurt for much longer, really. It makes me think that if anything can be done to help her, it should be...after all, if Seiryo went through all that after only minor exposure to the magic, Tokimi's mind must be in a far worse state."

"She may never wake up." Sasami murmured, reaching down to scoop up the slender, pale hand in hers. "Tokimi-sama, I'm sorry. We shouldn't speak like this around you, should we? Maybe you can hear us and maybe you can't, but if you can, we're not giving up on you. Quite the opposite, in fact. We know you're not a bad person, and we want to help you to feel better. So if you can hear me, you shouldn't be afraid to open your eyes. Nobody will hurt you. I promise."

There was no response from the patient, not even a flickering of the eyelids, and Suki sighed.

"It doesn't matter what you say...the response is the same." She reflected. "As it stands, we've no way of knowing if she can even understand what we say. Washu speaks to her in their own language - maybe that's all she can remember, when all's said and done."

"But she spoke to Seiryo-dono and Dr Clay. She must speak other languages too, like Washu does." Sasami pointed out. Suki shrugged.

"She infected Seiryo's mind and I think she did the same to that Dr Clay person, too." She responded. "From what Washu-sama said in court at Seiryo's hearing, she must have used strong psychic magic to overcome their free will and compel them to obey her. If she had that magic, I guess she was able to communicate with whoever she chose to...it didn't really matter what language they spoke."

"You've been thinking about this, haven't you?" Sasami asked gently. Suki nodded.

"I have." She admitted. "And it's another good reason why Washu-sama should come back to Jurai. After all, she's the only other person alive who can speak Kii. And if Tokimi can't understand us, she might be scared to respond. She might not want to wake up, if she doesn't know what's happening around her. I don't know...but surely it's possible, isn't it?"

"I guess it is." Sasami pondered, squeezing the pale hand again. "Well, then I hope Washu does come back here soon. I miss her, anyway. I always miss people, when we're seperated. It's such a long way to the Earth, and Tenchi and Washu and Ryoko are always there, really. It's worse when I've just seen them, because then I know they'll go away and not come back for a while. And they're like half of my family, so it would be nice if Washu at least came back."

"You're lucky." Suki looked wistful. "You have so many friends, Sasami-chan."

"Well, you have me." Sasami dimpled. "And I'm sure you could have other friends too, you know...you're not horrible to be around or anything like that. You're just too shy, that's all. You need to talk to people more. They can't get to know you, if you don't try."

"I know." Suki blushed. "But it's hard. Going to the council sessions in Seiryo's stead was nerve-wracking enough, even though I think it was good for me to take responsibility in some way for my family. I guess it will just come with practice, huh? After all, if I can make one friend, I can make others. Right?"

"Right." Sasami nodded. "And you have Tokimi-sama, too. I'm sure she'd be your friend, if she could tell you so. You spend so much time looking after her, I know she'd realise how kind you really are."

"Sasami!" Suki looked self-conscious. "Not really. I like visiting Tokimi, and talking to her, and trying to help her. But also, it's a safe place to hide. Between here and Okaa-san's chamber, I don't mix too much. And now Seiryo is well, he's determined to take responsibility for the Tennan family again. It is his right to - he is the eldest and he did inherit all of Father's estates. But it means I've had less to do in the main swing of things, to be honest. Seiryo's been the one moving money from his Galaxy Police savings to cover Father's excesses, pay the Unko's docking fines and to buy back as many of Mother's precious tapestries as he's been able. I've helped a little and he hasn't stopped me from being involved, but it's hard not to fall back into the old routine of relying on him to solve everything. I really don't want to do that, Sasami-chan. He's been so ill that I'm afraid to push too much on him too soon. But he's the sort of person who likes to take things on...and sometimes he can be hard to argue with, even now."

Sasami smiled.

"I'm sure Seiryo-dono will be just fine." She said firmly. "He's been through a lot but like you said, he's strong. And all bad things have good parts to them, too. Because of all this, you and I are friends and I've got to know you and your brother better. I never really knew either of you before that, but I'm glad that I do now. I think Seiryo-dono is very brave, dealing with everything he has and still holding his head up at court. Some people are so silly, blaming him still for things that weren't his fault and which happened a long time ago. I'm glad he doesn't let them get to him."

"Does that mean he has Tsunami's blessing?" A mischievous smile flitted across Suki's face, and Sasami laughed.

"Sure, why not?" She agreed playfully. "Although he doesn't believe in it, does he? He might not appreciate it."

"He believes in Tsunami a lot more now than he ever did before." Suki said thoughtfully. "But only because he's seen what depths magic and belief can go to first hand, now. I think it terrifies him, that forces and beings like that do really exist. Having been roundly abused at the hands of one would-be goddess, I think he steers clear of Tsunami-kami-sama in case she proves to be just as volatile. He doesn't exactly know she's you, after all. And even if he did, I don't think he'd change his mind. Deep down, he knows it's true and it's not just been love for Mother that has made him go to the trouble of retrieving those Tsunami tapestries. Some of them had been in the Tennan family for generations, after all - and I think he realises it was Tsunami's magic that broke Tokimi's spell, even if he hasn't made all the connections. But even though he'd never say it, it scares him. So he leaves well alone and tries to pretend it's not there. I suppose it's a survival strategy, if nothing else!"

"Tsunami isn't going to hurt Seiryo." Sasami responded, amused.

"Well, _we _know that." Suki returned the smile with one of her own. "But he doesn't. And short of betraying your secret to him, I can't exactly explain."

"Guess not." Sasami admitted. "Oh well. Maybe he'll come round of his own accord, anyway. You never know."

She pulled a face.

"At least he's not one of the gazillion nobles who suddenly want to court and marry the Lady Sasami." She added. "Whether they know I'm Tsunami or not doesn't seem to matter to them. I'm the daughter of a Prince and the sister of a Crown Princess. Apparently that makes me hot property...even though I'm only just over four foot tall and I'd still rather play games with my friends than preside over social functions or worry about all the gross stuff married people have to deal with. It sucks. If Father wasn't so dead set against me marrying till I'm eighteen..."

Suki chuckled.

"Well, at least you _have_ potential suitors." She teased. "Nobody's interested in me, and I'm four years older than you are."

"Do you really want to be married, Suki-oneechan?" Sasami asked curiously. "I mean, really - is that what you want to do?"

"Right at the moment, Seiryo and Mother need me, so no." Suki shook her head. "And when they don't need me, well, I'd like to do some things and meet more people, first. Seiryo did promise me, when last we spoke of it, that he wouldn't be trying to sell me to the highest bidder in the way Father did. He wants it to be my choice, although I suspect he'd still rather I chose a beau within our social class. Still, he hasn't said as much, and we'll just see what happens. I'm not worried about being married right now, no. I'd like to find out more about being Suki Tennan first, before someone else comes into my life and tries to take it over."

"That's not what happens when you marry, Suki." Sasami looked confused. "Takeru-oniichan married Ayeka, and he hasn't taken over her life."

"Well, I suppose it depends on the marriage." Suki sighed. "Ayeka-sama is lucky. My mother wasn't quite so much...I suppose Mother and Father is my only template. Maybe that's why neither Seiryo nor I are in any hurry to enter into vows any time soon. We haven't been set the best example."

"Even more reason for me to wait, then." Sasami said fervently.

"Perhaps we'll both meet wonderful princes who'll sweep us off our feet." Suki suggested playfully. Sasami pinkened.

"Maybe." She admitted. "But I don't want to worry about it right now. Being Tsunami is enough for this Princess right at the moment, thank you!"

------------------

"You're burying yourself in paperwork again, Kiyone."

Kiyone started, gazing up from her pile of work in consternation as Mihoshi dropped down onto the end of her desk, sending file sheets cascading to the ground. "You know, I thought you'd already been to the chief and reported to him about the icky incident with the Seniwan ship. Why are you doing so much writing? Is the computer network down again?"

"I wouldn't know." Kiyone said frankly. "Have you spilled anything on it, lately?"

"No." Mihoshi frowned, shaking her head in confusion. "I don't think so. Why?"

"Then it's probably fine." Kiyone shrugged, resting her chin in her hands as she gazed up at her friend quizzically. "If you must know, this is the paperwork for Yagami's most recent overhaul. It takes a while to come through and they finally passed the sheets on to me to sign and check over. Even though Washu fixed the ship, they had to check it out to make sure it still complied with Galaxy Police specifications. So that's what I'm doing. It has nothing to do with the Seniwan ship. As you said, I've handed that over to the Chief to deal with, now."

"Oh, I see." Mihoshi pulled a face. "That must be really boring, huh?"

"Well, if I don't do it, they'll pull Yagami from active service and we don't exactly have another ship as back-up." Kiyone rubbed her temples. "You really should speak to the commander about Yukinojyo, you know. There are times when we could use another vessel, just in case."

"Yukinojyo?" Mihoshi looked startled. "But don't you want to fly with me any more, Kiyone?"

"Of course I do." Kiyone sighed. "That isn't what I meant. I just thought that if we had another ship…if Yukinojyo was back in active service – it would give Yagami's poor circuits a rest sometimes. That's all."

Mihoshi's brows knitted together, an uncharacteristically thoughtful look flickering in the depths of her big blue eyes.

"It's almost like you don't like Yagami any more." She said at length. "I'm sorry, Kiyone…is that my fault? I know I broke it and all, but still, I didn't mean to. And Washu did do a good job fixing it. And…"

"No, Mihoshi. It's nothing to do with you, and I'm fine." Kiyone dismissed her question with a flick of her fingers. "It's just a lot of paperwork, that's all."

She grimaced at the pile, setting down her pen.

"And I've left my ship's licence in the drive room. You're distracting me…will you please go back to your own office and do some work for a change? I need to get this done."

"Well, sure." Mihoshi nodded her head, slipping clumsily off the desk and sending more loose sheets fluttering to the floor. "I'll go and see about the monthly statistics for…was it last month? Or the one before? You know, I never am quite sure. They count the weeks in such a weird way…it's so hard to keep track!"

She flashed her companion a grin, then disappeared and Kiyone groaned, getting slowly to her feet as she retrieved the fallen documents.

"Thank goodness for that." She murmured. "Mihoshi's not usually that perceptive. I guess she must have been doing more thinking than I gave her credit for – I'll have to watch what she says. If she mentions to the Commander that she thinks something's up with me he'll haul me in for some kind of a review and that's the last thing I need. I'm doing fine, after all…I'm coping, and since we came back to work after Kihaku's destruction we've dealt with situations and I've been all right. Mostly, anyway. The last thing I need is Mihoshi on my back."

She set the gathered sheets down on her desk, reaching for her pass key and leaving the office, locking the door behind her as she made her way down the hall towards the main docking bay. Yagami was the only ship moored there at present, and somehow the entire bay seemed bleak and empty without the gleam of other hulls flanking it on either side. Quelling her misgivings, Kiyone activated the transmitter beam, boarding her craft and heading purposefully towards the drive room, sliding back the door that separated it from other parts of the ship.

As she stepped into the room, she stopped dead, colour draining from her face as she registered the state the cockpit was in. The dashboard had been ripped open by some unknown force, wires and circuitry spilling out across the floor in a haphazard, random manner. As she moved closer, unable to believe what she was seeing, she noticed that the ship's three main memory drives had also been looted, pulled out and disconnected from the main server, then discarded.

"Yagami." She murmured, shaking her head slowly. "But…but…what happened to you?"

The sound of the door sliding shut behind her made her jump and she swung around, her hand fumbling desperately for her weapon as she glanced all around her, searching for any sign of the culprit.

"Mihoshi?" She called, taking a step back against the console as she did so. "Is someone there? Identify yourselves!"

There was no answer, and Kiyone swallowed hard, fighting to keep a grip on her composure. Memories teased at her senses, and she forced them back, standing her ground doggedly as her grip tightened around the gun.

"Answer me!" She exclaimed. "I'm warning you – vandalising a Galaxy Police ship is a serious offence!"

At this, Kiyone became aware of the low, amused sound of laughter and she glanced around her feverishly, but she was still alone. She bit her lip, remembering the corpses aboard the Seniwan ship, and how somehow their killer had managed to conceal itself from both her and Mihoshi.

"Who are you!" She shouted, her voice trembling slightly as her fear threatened to overwhelm her. "Come out and identify yourself! Come out!"

There was no response, but a flood of images hit Kiyone's mind and she gasped, the gun slipping from her grip as she found herself forced back to another day aboard the Yagami. Darkness surrounded her and a burning sensation rushed through her body, stifling it's need for air and clamping itself firmly around her heart. She fought to draw a breath into her lungs but the world was becoming strange and fuzzy and she stumbled backwards, the weapon clattering to the ground as she fell to her knees, fighting desperately to regain her control and her composure.

At length the suffocating sensation across her chest abated, and as waves and waves of panic and fear washed through her body, Kiyone struggled to her feet, fleeing the ship as fast as her legs could take her. From somewhere behind her she could hear the sound of amused, ghostly laughing and tears pricked at the back of her eyes as she charged through the hallways, oblivious to the stares she was receiving from her fellow officers at her unusual lack of composure. At length she reached Mihoshi's office and she pushed back the door, almost tripping over her feet in her desperation to reach her friend. Mihoshi glanced up from the desk, consternation and confusion in her pretty eyes at her partner's entrance.

"Kiyone?" She said. "What's up? Why are you…Kiyone?"

"Yagami." Kiyone murmured faintly. "Miho...shi, Yagami is..."

She faltered, feeling sick and dizzy as the room began to swim and twist all around her. She grabbed out for the edge of Mihoshi's desk to steady herself, but it was to no avail, and suddenly the lights in the small, confined office seemed dazzling to her bewildered gaze. As she fell to her knees, blackness closing in from all sides, an image flitted unbidden into her mind - the face of a colleague, staring down at her with murder in his eyes. With a little gasp, she lost her grip on consciousness, dropping back onto Mihoshi's cluttered office floor in a dead faint.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

"It's as I thought."

Washu sat back from her computer screen, eying her companion with a resigned smile. "I appreciate you taking the time to do this, Yume - and you've done well. You've copied everything I wanted to look at. But I was afraid that the Academy wouldn't hold the bulk of Kihaku's records and I was right. If they didn't get destroyed with the planet itself, then they must be in the library at the Jurai Royal Palace. So that's going to have to be our next port of call."

"You were planning on going to Jurai anyway." Yume settled herself more comfortably on the floor, gazing up at her mentor thoughtfully. "So it hasn't changed anything. I located everything I could. Dr Kurashida had a lot of clearance, so I was able to get into most secure levels of the Academy's files. I just wish they'd been of more help. I feel like I owe that to you, considering."

"You aren't still thinking about Manami's murder, are you?" Washu said softly. Yume frowned, dropping her gaze.

"Yes." She admitted. "Washu-san, she wasn't the first person Clay involved me in killing. In fact, he often sent me out as a lone assassin and I can't even count how many people I must have slain on his say so. But this one bothers me because now I know she was your friend. And you were so kind to me...I feel that I've let you down."

"Zero helped silence Manami. Not Yume." Washu said gently. "You must stop it. I know it's human to feel guilty, and in a way it just proves how sophisticated your emotions are becoming. I have noticed, you know, how you're better able to differentiate between levels of emotion now than you were when first you came to live with us. But you needn't dwell on Manami's death any more than you already have. I don't blame you and nor, I'm sure, would she. Manami and Clay always hated one another. The blame lies with him, and he's beyond any court now."

"I don't know how you can forgive me so easily." Yume said pensively.

"Because I know it wasn't your fault, just like I know that Tokimi wasn't responsible for the deaths of the people on Kihaku." Washu said gravely. "Guilt and responsibility don't always go hand in hand. That's something else you need to learn, you know. It will make sense...just think about it for a while. And besides, we're none of us blameless. In some respects every little thing we do affects others and their lives. None of us can really walk away and say we've never hurt someone else."

"I see." Yume eyed her fingers thoughtfully, turning her hands over as she digested these words. "I'll process that and try to make sense of it."

"Good." Washu smiled. "In the meantime, it looks like Tenchi, Ryoko and I will be making a little trip across space. But as you say, I was going to go anyway. So it doesn't change anything. I just hoped I'd have more to go on, when I got there. I have no idea if I can obtain access to the secure area of the Royal Library. Hacking my way in is probably possible, but not ideal. I suppose we'll just have to see what kind of a mood Azusa is in."

"Will you want me to come with you? Or shall I stay here?" Yume asked.

"Which would you rather do?" Washu eyed her companion keenly, and Yume frowned.

"If you don't mind, Washu-san, I'd like to stay behind." She admitted. "I want to work out the things you said - about Dr Kurashida and about responsibility. And besides, there's no reason for me to go to Jurai. You and Tenchi and Ryoko have friends there. I don't, not really. No. This is where I belong. If it's all right with you, I'd like to stay on the Earth."

"Then stay." Washu smiled, squeezing her hand gently. "And take care of Noboyuki-san and Katsuhito-dono, because they neither of them have the sense to take care of themselves, sometimes. I'll be in touch with you, and I'll keep you updated as to my progress. But you're probably right. Your programming is elaborate and very sophisticated, but it does have it's limitations. If you don't have me distracting you, it will be easier for you to figure out your role in Manami's death and why I don't blame you for it. Your emotional state still needs some fine tuning. It will give you a chance to tune."

"Yes, it will." Yume agreed. "Then it's settled. I'll do that."

"And I'll go speak to Ryoko about flying out tonight." Washu got to her feet. "If at all possible, I'd like to be on Jurai quickly...even by tomorrow sundown, if we can. The sooner I begin harassing Azusa for access to his records, the sooner I can try and help Tokimi. And that's my objective right now. To help my sister - in any way that I can."

-----------------------

"Well, Detective? I trust that you're feeling better now?"

Kiyone raised a pale face to her commander, offering him a wan smile as she took in the genuine concern in his expression. Wrapped in a warm blanket, and bundled up in Mihoshi's office chair, her friend had for once had the presence of mind to deal with the situation coherently, and now, less than an hour later she was feeling much more like herself, a mug of hot tea on standby and her anxious partner hovering by the door, ready and eager to do anything to make her friend feel better.

"I'm all right now, sir. It was just a shock, that's all." She said quietly.

"A shock?" The commander eyed her keenly. Kiyone nodded.

"Yagami." She murmured. "Someone…has…been there, Commander. The drive room…"

She faltered, and the commander's expression became even more grave.

"Yes, I see." He said softly. "Mihoshi, would you leave us please? I wish to speak to Detective Makibi in private for a while."

"But sir, I…"

"Mihoshi. That was an order. Not a request."

"Oh." Mihoshi bit her lip. "All right. I guess I'll just wait outside then."

She cast Kiyone one more anxious glance and then withdrew, shutting the door behind her, and the commander sighed, settling himself down in the office's only other chair.

"Kiyone, I've seen Yagami." He said softly. "When you came charging in here, Mihoshi said you babbled something about your ship, so I sent someone down to check it out. The drive room is a mess…clearly Yagami isn't going to be flying anywhere for a while."

"I didn't expect it." Kiyone admitted. "But it made me think…well, maybe it's connected to what Mihoshi and I saw on the Seniwan ship. That's all that makes sense to me…I mean…"

"Detective." The commander looked troubled, folding his hands in his lap. "I've handed your report over to the Elite Force. You needn't concern yourself with it any longer."

"I know that, but…"

"Nobody was aboard Yagami." The commander said softly. "When I realised the extent of the damage, I had the security reports checked. The only person who has been aboard Yagami since you and Detective Kuramitsu returned from your last patrol is you – this morning. When you came tearing out of the docking bay in, well, according to eye witnesses, something of a state."

He paused, then,

"Is there something you'd like to tell me?"

"You think _I_ sabotaged Yagami?" Kiyone's eyes opened wide with disbelief. "But why would I do that? I've had that ship forever – why would I do something so senseless?"

"Detective Kuramitsu did mention to me that you didn't seem happy flying it recently." The commander said thoughtfully. "She even said that you'd talked about raising Yukinojyo from his watery grave, which hasn't been discussed in a long while. In fact, you probably know the budget won't stretch to such a major operation just at the moment, so I was surprised to hear you'd even thought about it. Now Yagami will require serious repairs – leaving you effectively grounded at Headquarters. It troubles me, Kiyone. You're a good detective and I have a lot of faith in you. But it's true that since you returned to active service following your indisposition some months ago, well, you haven't been quite the same woman."

"There's nothing wrong with me, Commander. And I didn't wreck my ship." Kiyone frowned. "Someone else did it. I don't know what the security report says, but I'm not crazy and I wouldn't vandalise a perfectly good spacecraft for no reason! It's insane. I just wouldn't!"

"Mihoshi didn't think so, either." The commander sighed. "But she did tell me something else."

He paused, then,

"I wonder why you didn't tell me yourself, actually. When you returned to service six months ago."

"Sir?" Kiyone eyed him apprehensively, and the commander met her gaze with a sombre one of his own.

"I knew you had been injured in some way, and I knew that it was involved in the course of active duty." He said quietly. "But I didn't know that someone had made a direct attempt on your life, Kiyone. Nor did I know that it was a colleague who had committed the act – although I did wonder why Agent Tennan seemed so keen to quit his post and return to Jurai all of a sudden. Mihoshi has been explaining – in her own, complicated way – the business that led you to be attacked and one of our best Elite officers to resign. It seems a lot of red tape went into covering this up from Jurai's point of view. Someone really would rather we hadn't known the full truth of what had gone on…and I'm guessing that Lord Haru probably put it into your own mind that least said soonest mended would be your best approach once you came back to work. But even so, you should have told me - off the record if not on it. To tell you the truth, I would have kept a closer watch on you, and I certainly wouldn't have sent you out on patrol so soon afterwards. I understand you've been having flashbacks since the incident. That's a serious matter."

"Sir, I'm fine." A look of dismay touched Kiyone's features. "I didn't wreck Yagami and I'm not dwelling on something that happened six months ago! I'm all right, really I am! It was just a shock, seeing Yagami in such a state. And I know there was someone else there. I heard them…I heard them laughing. I think they were looking for something, and I disturbed them – so they decided to play with me instead."

"You heard laughter? I thought you didn't see anyone." The commander looked confused.

"Yes. I heard them. I didn't see them."

"Kiyone." The officer sighed, shaking his head. "I'm sorry. You should hear what you're saying…my dear, you need to stop and realise that something is wrong. Mihoshi told me that the last thing you said when you passed out was Agent Tennan's name. You can't tell me you aren't dwelling, when something like that happens. And in light of the Yagami…"

"I didn't wreck my ship!"

"Well, whatever happened to Yagami, I still am far from convinced that you are fit and able to carry out your duties at present." The commander spoke kindly, but Kiyone dropped her gaze, feeling embarrassed and ashamed by his sympathy. "Mihoshi seems to have been worrying about you, too - and big as Mihoshi's heart is, she's not usually the most perceptive member of staff on role. If she's noticed something, then it's safe to say there's something to be noticed."

"Not necessarily." Kiyone objected. "Mihoshi's good at getting the wrong end of the stick, and she's really making a fuss about nothing. I mean..."

"She told me that when you've been on patrol and she's come to wake you, you've had bad dreams." The commander said quietly. "And that it isn't the first time Seiryo Tennan's name was brought into the equation. I'm sorry, Kiyone. This can't go on."

Kiyone bit her lip, looking mutinous, and the Commander eyed her thoughtfully.

"I think it would be as well that you took some time away from Headquarters." He added softly. "You've obviously been through a terrible ordeal, and it's affecting your standard of work."

"Sir!" Horror flooded Kiyone's gaze. "But that would be...like quitting! Like saying I can't do my job! And I can! The Galaxy Police is my world - my life! You can't seriously be thinking about discharging me?"

"Not permanently. Only on a temporary basis." Her superior shook his head. "Kiyone, you're one of the best detectives we have. For that reason, I want to see you make a good recovery, and I like to see you fit, happy and capable of carrying out your duty. Right now I'm not confident you're any of the above. And if the destruction of Yagami is some silent cry for help..."

"_I did not destroy Yagami's drive room!_" Kiyone was on her feet, banging her hand down on Mihoshi's desk as her temper got the better of her. "I didn't! I _wouldn't_! Why does everyone think that because I was involved in something half a year ago that I must still be involved with it now? I put my life in jeopardy for my job every day!"

"Detective Makibi, you are forgetting yourself." The commander said reproachfully, and Kiyone hesitated, sinking slowly back down into the empty seat. She sighed.

"I...I'm sorry, sir. But I'm not crazy!"

"I didn't say that you were."

"No, but sending me away is either suggesting that I am, or at the very least that I'm a liability who can't do her job properly." Kiyone said bitterly. "And whatever else I've done since I joined the Galaxy Police, I have always done my job. Always. To suggest that I'd even think about doing otherwise..."

"No, Kiyone, you misunderstand my concern." The commander shook his head, folding his arms across his ample torso as he regarded her gravely. "It's not that you can't do your job. You are doing your job, and I have no doubt that, given your own way, you'll continue to do your job until whatever it is preying on your mind consumes you and does you permanent damage."

"But..."

"Admit that you need help, Detective." The commander held up his hand. "That's the first step to resolving your situation."

Kiyone bit back her tears, gazing at her companion with a mixture of hopelessness and frustration.

"I didn't vandalise Yagami and it wasn't a cry for help." She whispered. "And if I'm not here, then where else have I got to go? This is where I belong...the only place I really do. I can overcome the other things - I'm not weak. Maybe I have had dreams - maybe things have bothered me from time to time. I'm human. But it hasn't interfered in my duty."

"And until we find evidence to the contary, Detective, you were the only one to board Yagami." The commander said gravely. "It worries me more that you deny the action so vehemently - as if you can't even remember doing it."

"But I _didn't_ do it!"

"Kiyone, please." Her superior looked pained. "Don't make this harder for me. I rely on you a lot more than I should sometimes, considering your rank, and I won't see a good officer destroyed by skeletons that haunt her. You're not the first officer to encounter a situation which she finds difficult to handle. You're not a failure because of it. But you do need to take some time away from Headquarters...to deal with whatever it is that's bothering you. Perhaps you could visit your family."

"I don't think so." Kiyone shook her head. "Commander, this is my home. The Galaxy Police are my family. I don't..."

"My mind is made up." The commander shook his head. "I'm signing you off active service for a month, Kiyone. At the end of that, you will have to face a review - and then if you are recovered to my satisfaction, you will be welcomed back with open arms. But incidents of this nature...it can't be allowed to go on. Your trip to that Seniwan craft obviously upset you more than I realised and I was remiss to send you - I realise it now. No, some time away will do you good."

"But..."

"You had better go to your quarters and pack your belongings. I'll get in touch with your home - I'm sure your mother and father would be happy to see you."

"I'm _not_ going home." Kiyone said flatly.

"Well, you can't stay here." The commander said simply. "I'm not going to change my mind, and defiance on your part won't do anything but convince me my decision is correct. You are not a defiant officer, Kiyone...and this out of character behaviour bothers me more than I like to admit. I will have all the paperwork cleared by this evening - come to my office at twenty three hundred hours and I will finalise your transport arrangements. So you had better make up your mind where you are going...if not to your home planet, then I advise you to at least go somewhere where you will be able to get some rest and relaxation."

Kiyone got to her feet, sending the officer a dark look. Then, without a word, she kicked back Mihoshi's chair, heading to the door and pushing it open. As she stepped out into the corridor, she was aware of her commander's gaze boring into her back and she slammed the door behind her with more force than was necessary, wheeling on the unsuspecting Mihoshi, who was still waiting patiently outside.

"How could you tell him all those things about me?" She demanded. "Mihoshi, how could you? What did you think you were doing?"

"What did I say?" Mihoshi's eyes became big with dismay. "Kiyone, what happened? What did he say to you?"

"He discharged me." Kiyone snapped back bitterly, tears glittering in her blue eyes. "He thinks I'm not fit to work and he's sending me away. All because you babbled about a couple of bad dreams and Seiryo Tennan! I hope you're happy!"

She pushed her friend away, stalking down the corridor towards the simply furnished sleeping accomodation Headquarters supplied for grounded Galaxy Police officers, but Mihoshi was not letting things go that easily, and as she reached her own small chamber, she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Kiyone, please don't be mad at me." Mihoshi was already in tears by this point. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to...but he can't send you away! I didn't know he'd do that and I was just...I was worried, Kiyone! He asked me things and I...I didn't know what to say."

"Well, thanks a whole lot." Kiyone muttered, shoving her door open and dropping down onto her bed. Mihoshi stood apprehensively in the doorway, and Kiyone met her gaze with a dark glare.

"Well? Why are you still here?"

"Kiyone." Mihoshi stepped into the room, pushing the door shut gently behind her. "You're crying! But you...you never cry!"

"Only because you are, you fool." Kiyone dashed her tears away impatiently. "And because I'm angry! I don't want to be discharged! I didn't vandalise Yagami, but the Commander thinks I did it for attention - or something. He thinks I'm losing my mind and he's sending me on shore leave until he's satisfied that I can do my duty as an officer of the law."

"I know you didn't wreck Yagami, Kiyone. And I told him so." Mihoshi sat down hesitantly on the end of her friend's bed. "I didn't know he'd discharge you."

"Well, he did." Kiyone muttered. "Exiled for a month. And I was doing fine. I was all right..."

"You have had a lot of bad dreams." Mihoshi said pensively. "I told him about those...I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done, should I?"

"No. You shouldn't."

"But I am worried about you." Mihoshi admitted. "Kiyone, we're partners and we have a special chemistry when we work together. You know that we do. So I know when something is bothering you. And when you have bad dreams, well, you cry then, too. And I know it's dreams about that horrible Tennan man, because you say his name when you cry out."

Kiyone swallowed hard.

"I can't help my dreams." She managed. "It's not like they matter."

"I don't like it when you're upset." Mihoshi reached out a hand, taking Kiyone's in her grip and squeezing it gently. "How am I going to manage without you for a whole month, Kiyone? Do you think that the Commander would let me come with you?"

"I doubt it. He said I needed a relaxing break." Kiyone said darkly. Mihoshi looked bemused, and Kiyone sighed, shaking her head.

"I'm sorry." She said wearily. "I don't know what to do. I know that I didn't wreck Yagami, and I am sure it has something to do with the Seniwan ship we found when we were on patrol. But the Commander won't listen and you're the only one who believes me. And now..."

She trailed off, shrugging.

"I'm in no position to find out what really happened to my ship." She concluded.

"Where will you go?" Mihoshi asked softly. "To your family?"

"No fear." Kiyone pulled a rueful face. "My mother will fuss and scream and tell me how she always warned me the Galaxy Police was no place for young women. She's probably got about six potential husbands lined up for me as it is, waiting for the moment of weakness that she can turn her bad daughter into a nice domesticated housewife...no, not a chance."

"Then where?"

"I don't know." Kiyone sighed heavily, rubbing her temples. "I haven't thought about it. But I guess it doesn't matter where. Away from Headquarters, that's all I know."

"Maybe you could go to the Earth." Mihoshi suggested, settling herself more comfortably on the covers. "And if I could borrow a ship, I could fly there and see you. So then we'd still be able to hang out, wouldn't we? And it would be like old times."

"I don't think that the Commander is going to let me go to a planetary system where I used to work." Kiyone grimaced. "Especially not a developing one like the Solar System. He wouldn't be able to keep tabs on me or on what I was up to -and I know the Chief. He's not going to give me carte blanche to go running into trouble. Besides..."

She faltered, then,

"There was someone or something on Yagami when I was there." She added, forcing herself to keep calm as the memory flooded her senses again. "And it knows who I am. Whatever the chief said, something was there. And if I went to the Earth, it might follow me. There's nothing to protect me there. It was looking for something - it must have been, because Yagami was pulled to pieces. And I don't know if it found it...but...just in case I'm it, I'd rather be somewhere...safe."

"Poor Kiyone." Mihoshi looked sympathetic, then, "Well, how about Jurai? Nobody's going to get in there so easily, right? You could visit Ayeka and Sasami and I know they'd let you rest - I mean, there's a great onsen at the palace and that's even easier for me to visit from Headquarters, isn't it? But they wouldn't let any mean nasty invisible people chase you into their orbit. So why not go to Jurai?"

"You should hear yourself sometimes." Kiyone grimaced. "Nasty invisible people?"

"Well, you said you couldn't see them, so they must've been." Mihoshi said with her usual happy-go-lucky logic. "But you know what I mean. Don't you think Jurai would be a perfect place to convalesce? And safe, too."

"I suppose it would." Kiyone frowned. "I don't know, Mihoshi. It would mean I'd have to tell them...about...why I'm there."

"Kiyone, don't be silly." Mihoshi scolded. "You're sick, so you're going to get better. That's all."

"I'm not sick."

"Then you'll be better even quicker."

"Oh, your logic." Kiyone flopped back against her pillows. "All right. Maybe you have a point. But Mihoshi, listen to me. If the commander doesn't believe me, you at least do. Something was on Yagami and it might come back. So be careful. All right?"

"All right." Mihoshi said, crossing her chest solemnly. "I swear I will keep my eyes and ears open for any invisible ship-wreckers. You can count on me, Kiyone!"

"Oh boy." Kiyone closed her eyes. "Maybe I _am_ sick. I think I'm getting a migraine."

"Oh, poor Kiyone!" Mihoshi sounded distressed. "Can I get you anything to help?"

"No...but you can leave me on my own, to sleep." Kiyone responded quietly. "And sort my stuff out. But they haven't heard the end of this. Whatever happened to Yagami, I'm going to get to the bottom of it. Shore leave or not - I haven't lost my mind and I'm going to prove it!"


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

"We're having visitors?"

Sasami glanced up from where she had been secluded in the grassy grounds of the palace, leaning casually up against the trunk of a nearby tree as she carefully slotted together blossoms into an intricate chain. "What do you mean, Ayeka? Who's coming to Jurai?"

"I've been looking all over the palace for you, Sasami." Ayeka sighed, sinking down onto an exposed tree root as she eyed her sister's gown with a long suffering glance. "And that's a new gown. Are you determined to ruin it already?"

"You sound as bad as Mother." Sasami pulled a face. "You're not Empress yet, you know. Why so stressed out, Ayeka-oneechan? What's happened?"

"Nothing, I'm just fed up of deputising for Uncle." Ayeka looked rueful. "I'm sorry...but it is a new gown. And you know that Mother will only say the same thing, if she sees you curling up on the grass wearing it."

"You're not much better, sitting on the tree like that." Sasami said unrepentantly. "And you didn't tell me who was going to visit us. Who's coming? People from Earth?"

"I've had a communication from the Galaxy Police." Ayeka shook her head.

"The Galaxy Police? You mean Kiyone and Mihoshi?" Sasami's eyes lit up. "Are they coming here? Oh good. They must be working on a case...and it's bringing them to Jurai? Right?"

"Not quite." Ayeka shook her head. "It's only Kiyone who's coming, Sasami-chan. Her commander didn't give a lot of details, but he seemed concerned about her, and wanted to know whether we'd mind if she came to visit us, on Jurai for a little while. Apparently it was her idea to come here, although she's not too happy about taking a trip at all."

"Taking a trip?" Sasami set down her chain of flowers, looking confused. "But what do you mean? Kiyone's on holiday...by herself?"

"She's been discharged." Ayeka pursed her lips. "Temporarily, I think, but I got the impression something had happened at Headquarters."

"Kiyone's sick?" Sasami's expression became one of concern. "Oh no! But then she _has_ to come here! You did say she could, didn't you, Ayeka? I mean..."

"I did." Ayeka agreed. "I know Uncle wouldn't mind, given the circumstances. And it's a pain, him being delayed in these negotiations of his, but he should be back tomorrow so I won't have to make the decisions for much longer. Kiyone is an old friend, after all. I told the Commander that she'd be very welcome here."

"Did he tell you why she's not well?" Sasami asked. Ayeka shook her head.

"He didn't tell me what exactly happened." She replied. "Just that Kiyone was feeling a bit under pressure and needed a few weeks to rest. That's all."

"Weird." Sasami frowned. "That doesn't sound like Kiyone."

"Putting herself under pressure does." Ayeka sighed. "Maybe she finally took on too much. She does work too hard, we all know that. Anyhow, she will be coming here as soon as the Galaxy Police can spare a transport bug to bring her. I'm trusting you to look after her, Sasami-chan. I'm going to be too busy to do much myself, and well, if anyone knows how to live life carefree, it's generally you. Even with Tsunami hanging over your head, you still seem to manage to get every last drop of enjoyment out of your day."

"It sounds like fun." Sasami nodded her head. "I'll be glad to, Ayeka. Suki and I will look after her, and..."

"Suki?" Ayeka looked startled. Sasami smiled.

"Well, sure." She agreed. "Why? Is there a reason why she shouldn't help? Suki's not a bad person, you know. And she is my friend."

"No, I know." Ayeka shook her head. "I just...you spend a lot of time with Suki now, don't you?"

"Yes." Sasami frowned. "So what?"

"No reason. I was just commenting." Ayeka shrugged her shoulders. "I suppose it's nice for you to have a friend of your own, here on Jurai."

"Onee-chan, are you jealous?" Sasami asked softly. Ayeka started, then looked rueful.

"Perhaps a little bit." She admitted. "I know it's silly, but you've always come to me in the past. But today I really had trouble tracking you down. Kamidake said you and Suki had walked out this way - but still, I didn't know where you were. First Tsunami claims you for her own, and now Suki Tennan, too. Is it selfish of me, Sasami, to want to keep you?"

"Don't be silly." Sasami giggled. "I still love you too, you know. You're my sister and I don't want that to change. But you have Takeru and so many things to do at court now, Ayeka. And I need my own friends, too. I like Suki. She's sweet and we have fun together. She understands about Tsunami and she doesn't mind. That means a lot to me."

"Where is she, anyway? If you both walked this way..."

"She went ahead to gather more flowers." Sasami said. "We're making decorations for Tokimi's room. I thought it would be nice for her to have flowers around her, just in case she woke up. And some of them smell so beautiful - maybe it will help."

"Tokimi, huh?" Ayeka said softly. Sasami smiled.

"Yes." She agreed. "I want to help her get well. Don't you?"

"So long as she poses no further danger to you or to Jurai, then yes." Ayeka said thoughtfully. "If everything Washu said at Seiryo-san's hearing was correct, she's been a victim of this magic for a long time. Who knows what kind of a person lies in that bed?"

"Someone who's been hurt." Sasami said firmly. "Just like Seiryo-dono. But he's getting better now, and Tokimi needs to as well. Then everything will be all right."

"Seiryo..." Ayeka's brow creased, and Sasami eyed her curiously.

"Yes, Ayeka? What about Seiryo-san?" She asked softly.

"It didn't occur to me when I spoke to the Commander, and I'm sure it hadn't occured to him either." Ayeka said quietly. "But Seiryo is here on Jurai. And a free man, too."

"So?" Sasami looked genuinely puzzled. "Why shouldn't he be? He hasn't been naughty since Tokimi was defeated, has he?"

"No." Ayeka shook her head. "But Seiryo was the one who hurt Kiyone so badly six months ago. I know that that was dark magic too, but still..."

"Kiyone's not silly. She knows it was a spell." Sasami turned her attention back to her flowers. "Besides, they probably won't even see each other. Seiryo-dono is wrapped up in the council and you said Kiyone was coming for a holiday. Right?"

"Right." Ayeka agreed doubtfully, getting carefully to her feet. "Well, now I've shared the news, I suppose that I must..."

"Sasami-chan!"

Before she could finish, Suki came tearing over the hill, acting very little like the daughter of an illustrious noble house as she approached them. Her thick wavy hair had loosed itself from it's ribbons and as she grabbed hold of the tree, catching her breath, there was excitement glittering in her aqua eyes. "Sasami-chan, a spaceship! Someone's coming to Jurai!"

"A spaceship?" Sasami scrambled to her feet, tearing the sash of her dress as she did so. "What kind of spaceship?"

"Lord Azaka said it was the Ryo Ohki, I heard him." Suki drew another gasp of air into her lungs. "And I knew you'd want to know. Isn't that your cousin Lord Tenchi's ship?"

"Tenchi? On Jurai?" Ayeka looked startled. "Suki-dono, are you sure?"

"Lady...Lady Ayeka." Suki suddenly seemed to register the presence of the Crown Princess, blushing as she found her manners. She bowed her head. "I'm sorry. I didn't realise you were with Lady Sasami. I didn't mean to interrupt you so rudely - forgive me."

"Oh, forget all that fussy stuff." Sasami scolded, grabbing her friend by the hand. "Ryo Ohki is Ryoko's ship, not Tenchi's, but if she's here, he might be too. They're usually together these days and Tenchi doesn't have a ship of his own. Oh, I hope Azaka was right. I hope it is Ryo Ohki! Let's go see!"

"Sasami, hang on a minute." Ayeka began, but Sasami was taking no notice. Gripping Suki's hand more tightly, and scooping up her linked blossoms in the other, she pulled the older girl back towards the palace at a pace which Suki only just managed to meet.

"Sasami, I can't breathe!" She protested, laughing as they reached the top of the hill, looking down on the palace complex itself. "Stop. Please!"

"I'm stopping, I'm stopping!" Sasami obediently halted, staring down into the valley with eager eyes as Suki sank down onto the grass beside her. "Look, Suki! It _is_ Ryo Ohki! And I...I can see Tenchi and Ryoko. And Washu! Washu's come too! This is so cool! We're having _lots_ of visitors!"

"Looks that way." Suki agreed. "Sasami-chan, I was rude to your sister. Do you think..."

"Oh, Ayeka won't mind. You were excited and she's not that much of a fuddy-duddy." Sasami shrugged. "Can you breathe now? I want us to go down and greet them, but I don't want you to drop down dead if we do."

"I don't have to come with you, you know." Suki pointed out.

"True, but it would be more fun if you did." Sasami grinned. "And you don't really know Tenchi-niichan, do you? Or Ryoko?"

"No-o-o." Suki bit her lip. "But I know my brother upset them both very much when he...was not himself. Do you think they'd want to meet me?"

"Tenchi won't care about that." Sasami assured her. "Come on, Suki, please? I want to go down there, before some palace official swallows them up and drags them off to see Takeru or something."

"All right, I'm coming." Suki relented. "But more slowly, okay? I haven't as much energy as you do. Tsunami must give you extra, I swear."

"Maybe she does." Sasami agreed. "Okay. This way - I know a short cut."

Before Suki could object she was wriggling through a dense group of trees, going deeper and deeper into their meshed branches as she searched for the path she knew led directly down to the palace. Behind her she could hear Suki's breathing as the older girl followed her, and at length they stepped out into open country once more.

"Tenchiiii!" Sasami let out a yell, breaking into a run as she hurried to greet the visitors. Tenchi turned, surprise and amusement touching his expression as the younger princess flung herself on him, hugging him tightly.

"Tenchi, you're really here!" She exclaimed. "But why are you? I mean, Ayeka didn't say anything about you coming too!"

"Ask Washu." Ryoko interjected, folding her arms across her chest. "Hi, Sasami. No need to ask how you are."

"Fine, and happy to see you all." Sasami's eyes sparkled. "You only just went away, so it's a doubly nice surprise to have you back!"

"That's my fault, I'm afraid. I need to ask a favour of your uncle." Washu brushed imaginary flecks of dust from her outfit, bestowing a warm smile on the young girl. "What did you mean, Sasami-chan?"

"Huh?"

"Ayeka didn't know we were coming, but it sounded like she was expecting someone else." The scientist replied. "Are you having more guests?"

"I said we should have radioed before we dropped through their security scanners." Ryoko muttered. "Why do you never listen to me, Washu?"

"Oh, it's okay. Really." Sasami dimpled. "Ayeka just told me that Kiyone is coming to Jurai, that's all. Then Suki came running to say...hey, where _is_ Suki? She was right here..."

She turned, seeing her friend standing a short distance away, a look of shy awkwardness on her face. She grinned, coming to grab the older girl by the hand and pull her forward.

"I told you not to be shy, Suki-oneechan! Come say hello to everyone."

"I...didn't like to intrude..." Suki began, but Washu offered her a warm smile.

"Lady Suki, with everything I know you've done for my poor sister, you're not intruding at all." She said, bowing her head slightly. "It's nice to finally get a chance to speak to you, face to face."

"You also, Lady Washu." Suki pinkened. "But Tokimi isn't any better. I'm sorry...but she isn't."

"We've been to visit her, and we're taking her some flowers." Sasami held up her chain as proof. "But so far nothing has worked, Washu-chan."

"That's why I'm here." Washu pursed her lips, looking thoughtful. "I'm hoping that your good Uncle the Emperor might grant me access to the Royal Library. I need to do some research - see what Kii records Jurai might have kept after the colonisation. Just in case there's something written there that can help Tokimi."

"Uncle isn't here." Sasami shook her head. "But I'm sure Ayeka will let you in. She's playing stand in Empress at the moment, since Uncle got called away to negotiate some peace treaty or other between two planetary warlords. Something like that...I don't know. It sounds very boring to me, honestly."

"Azusa isn't here, huh?" Sasami saw a flicker of relief touch Ryoko's expression. "Well, if that's the case, I guess we don't have to suck up to his good graces today, do we Tenchi? Are you coming? We might as well invade the palace and see what's to eat. And I could use a bath...I'm sure Sasami wouldn't mind if we made ourselves at home. Since we came all this way, and all."

Tenchi cast his companion a rueful smile, and Sasami giggled.

"Of course you're welcome. You're all welcome." She assured them. "Come with me. I'll make sure that people know you're here - and I'm sure they'll be able to provide food and all of that. I mean, we've eaten lunch already, but they're always willing to help out when Tenchi's here."

"I'd noticed that." Ryoko agreed wryly. "Thank you, Sasami."

She turned, glancing up at Ryo Ohki, who mewed defiantly.

"All right. You might as well come too." She said with a grin. "I know you're as hungry as I am, and you're still convalescent. Come on, Ryo-Ohki. Lets see if we can't find you some carrots to chew on, huh?"

Ryo Ohki let out a joyful yowl, transforming back into her cabbit form as she jumped eagerly up onto Ryoko's shoulder. She flicked her ears in Sasami's direction, and Sasami grinned.

"You're welcome too, Ryo Ohki." She said seriously. "This is so exciting, having everyone here like this!"

"Sasami, why is Kiyone coming to Jurai?"

As they made their way into the palace, Suki following slightly awkwardly, Washu cast Sasami a curious look. "It seems strange that she'd be coming here, and without Mihoshi. Is something wrong?"

"I don't know." Sasami frowned. "Ayeka just said she wasn't well and was being sent to Jurai to rest. That's all she knows, and all she told me. But Ayeka told the Galaxy Police it would be fine, and she wants Suki and I to make sure Kiyone gets plenty of time to relax when she's here...so I said I would."

"Me too?" Suki looked startled. Sasami nodded.

"Well, of course." She agreed. "Unless you really don't want to."

"I don't mind." Suki shook her head. "But will Kiyone-san want to speak to me? I...I am a Tennan, after all."

"She'll be happy to meet you. You'll see." Sasami slid a reassuring hand into her friend's grip. "And I'm sure there's nothing really wrong with her. If there was, the Commander would have told Ayeka. He just said she'd been under too much stress, or something. Working too hard. I guess she just needs some time off."

"And away from Mihoshi, I bet." Ryoko mused. "She's one person's work at any time."

"Mihoshi cares about Kiyone. They're partners, and Mihoshi takes that very seriously." Tenchi pointed out.

"So does Kiyone." Ryoko shrugged. "But there are limits to everyone's patience, and I've always wondered how Kiyone lives with Mihoshi's quirks day in and day out."

"I guess it's something like Tenchi managing to live with yours, musume-chan." Washu said carelessly. "Besides, Mihoshi has a lot of good qualities. She might be absent-minded and clumsy, but she means well. Kiyone knows that better than anyone...whenever she's needed someone, Mihoshi has been there to help."

"And even if she hasn't needed someone, Mihoshi has still been there to help." Ryoko interjected ironically. "All right. But I hope she isn't really sick. I mean, I like Kiyone and I guess it'll make visiting Jurai less annoying, if she's here too."

"I'm sure she'll be all right, Ryoko." Tenchi said gently. "Kiyone's a strong person. The hard part will be convincing her to rest, that's all."

"She sounds a lot like my brother." Suki put in absently. Sasami shot her a surprised look, and Suki blushed, dropping her gaze.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt." She said hurriedly.

"I hope you're going to keep your brother away from Kiyone, when she's here." Ryoko said quietly. "Because otherwise, I might get involved."

"Ryoko, that isn't necessary." Washu said warningly, but Suki sighed, nodding her head.

"I know. I know you don't like him very much and I know what he...did." She said haltingly. "But Seiryo's not really like that at all, Ryoko-san. He isn't going to hurt her - or anyone at all. He really isn't an evil person."

"I don't care what he is or isn't - he's not at all important to me." Ryoko said frankly. "But I do care about Kiyone and I have no idea whether she even remembers his name or not. On the offchance that she does remember, I'd rather she wasn't reminded of what went on between them aboard her spaceship. Okay? So you tell your brother to keep his distance. Else he'll have an angry space pirate to contend with."

Energy flickered across her palms, and Suki stared at her in consternation, taking a step back.

"I...I..."

"Ryoko, stop it." Sasami scolded. "Seiryo's not going to hurt Kiyone and besides, none of it is Suki's fault. You're scaring her - she doesn't know you're only joking."

"Am I joking?" Ryoko raised an eyebrow. "Kiyone was almost killed by that blast, Sasami. If not for Mihoshi bringing her so quickly across space, she would have died. I don't think I am joking. I don't care if Jurai have forgiven him, or if he's repented, or what. I don't want him anywhere near her. Okay?"

"I...I'll tell him." Suki said unhappily. "Don't worry, Ryoko-san. I don't think he'll want to get involved. It upset him too, you know. I mean, how would _you_ feel if someone almost died because of something you did? Even if it wasn't your fault in the first place. Nii-chan doesn't need any reminders either. He's worked hard to get back to fitness and I won't have him hurt either. So it's all right, Ryoko-san. I will tell Seiryo to keep away from Kiyone-san when she comes here, and I'm sure he will."

"Good." The light faded from Ryoko's fingers and she lowered her hands to her sides, offering the younger girl a guarded smile. "Then we'll get along just fine."

"Ryoko, Suki is my friend. Stop being rude to her." Sasami put her hands on her hips. Ryoko shrugged her shoulders.

"I'm just looking out for the well-being of one of _my_ friends." She said quietly. "It's all right. I'm done. Besides, right now I want to eat. I'm not going to blast holes in Azusa's palace walls today, don't fret. I just wanted to get my point across."

"I think you did that." Tenchi said quietly. "In the meantime, let's not abuse Jurai's hospitality. Washu has work to do, and we don't want to make things any more difficult for her, do we?"

"Whatever." Ryoko grimaced, but Sasami could tell from her expression that she was chastened by his calm words. "Okay. We'll eat and then I want to hit the onsen. It's been a long flight, and not one I would have taken by choice. God knows why Kiyone's coming here. If there's a single planet in the universe where the word relax doesn't exist, it seems to be Jurai!"

--------------------

Well, she was almost there.

Kiyone gazed out at the approaching landscape of Jurai, her heart heavy as she watched the tree-ridden planet rushing up towards them through the mists. Her conversation with the commander and the subsequent discussion with Mihoshi preyed on her mind, and no matter what she did, she could not push it out of her thoughts.

"I know that there was something with me on Yagami. Something that damaged my ship, but the scanners didn't pick it up." She said thoughtfully, pushing her palms against the glass as she struggled to make sense of events at Headquarters. "When Mihoshi and I reached the Seniwan ship, there were life signs. But when we got there, noone aboard was alive. The woman who spoke to us had been killed, so whatever killed her must have still been aboard the Tsubasa. And yet..."

She sighed, sinking back into her seat.

"And yet we saw noone." She acknowledged. "Nothing. No clues, just three dead crew and a ship with an encrypted log."

She hesitated, then slid her hand into her pocket, pulling the small black recording device out and glancing at it.

"Maybe I was rash to erase this so quickly." She reasoned out loud. "Perhaps there would have been a clue somewhere on it. But now all I'm left with is a discharge to Jurai, an empty data box and the woman's security key from the ship we tried to salvage."

She sighed, slipping the box back into her pocket as she rubbed her temples.

"No ship, no resources, and a commander who thinks I'm losing my wits." She said sadly. "Maybe I am - talking to myself like this. But I know that I didn't wreck Yagami. I couldn't have done it. I couldn't have forgotten that I'd done it! And even if the scanners didn't pick anyone else up..."

She swallowed hard.

"No, this is nuts." She said bitterly. "I know what I saw. Stop doubting yourself, Kiyone. You know your own mind and you know you're not crazy! Bad dreams about a past event is one thing. But going psycho on your own spaceship and then forgetting it ever happened - that's not you. Which means...there's only one other explanation. Somehow, whatever it was that killed the crew of the Tsubasa also wrecked the dash of the Yagami. And that means that..."

She faltered, biting her lip as she glanced back the way they had come.

"That the killer must have boarded Yagami, and come back to Headquarters with us." She whispered. "That the reason we didn't find anyone aboard the Seniwan ship is because there was noone there. The link walkway was open the whole time Mihoshi and I were searching for survivors. It would have been easy...Oh! But if that's the case, everyone at Headquarters could be in danger! If there's a mad killer on the loose who can conceal themselves from detection, anyone could be the next victim. It could even be Mihoshi!"

She got to her feet, hurrying out of the ship's seating area and up to the bridge, where an officer, clad in the uniform of the Elite Force barred her way, casting her a curious look.

"Detective Makibi? Is something wrong?"

"I need to speak to the Commander." Kiyone struggled to get past the man, but he held her firm in his strong grip. "Will you let me go? It's important. I think Headquarters is in danger, and I have to make sure something is done!"

"In danger? From what?" The officer looked startled. "Detective, there are no comm devices down in the seating area. Who have you been talking to?"

"Noone." Kiyone shook her head. "I've just been thinking about the Yagami, and..."

"I see." The officer exchanged looks with a colleague, who had left the central control room at the sound of their voices. Kiyone saw the expression that passed between them and her cheeks reddened in anger.

"I'm not crazy!" She exclaimed. "Will you listen to me? Something wrecked the Yagami and that something could well be at Headquarters. It killed people already and it could kill them again. I have to speak to the Commander and make him understand what happened on that ship. I have to..."

"Kiyone-san, calm down. We're listening to you." The second detective said softly. "Stop fighting and explain to us what you mean. All right? If there's something we need to tell the commander, it will come better from us than from you right now."

"I...I guess." Relief flickered in Kiyone's expression and she gave up her struggle, eying the newcomer with fresh hope. "You're going to listen to me, then? Because it is important. Really. It is."

"We're listening." The man said smoothly. "Go on. Explain."

"Well, when Mihoshi and I went to try and find survivors on that ship, there weren't any." Kiyone said slowly. "We talked to one of them before, but when we got aboard, her throat had been slit. She was dead."

"And yet you spoke to her just moments before?"

"Yes." Kiyone nodded her head. "So whatever killed her was still on the ship. Right?"

"I see." The first man pursed his lips. "But you and Mihoshi-san didn't find it?"

"We didn't see or hear anyone at all." Kiyone shook her head. "But don't you see? They must have come aboard Yagami, and come back to Headquarters. And then..."

"And then they wrecked the dashboard of your ship?" The second man asked.

"Yes. Exactly." Kiyone nodded her head. "And they must still be there. Unless they're...unless they're on this ship, somewhere."

She glanced around herself anxiously. "Which they could be."

"Let me run this through again, Kiyone-san." The first detective leant back against the ship wall. "You think that the creature who slew three well-trained Seniwan officers aboard the Tsubasa crept aboard Yagami while you and Mihoshi-san were looking for survivors?"

"Yes. That's what I'm saying."

"And that, even though this creature had apparently single-handedly slaughtered the crew and wrecked the ship you searched, it didn't raise a finger to harm either you or Detective Kuramitsu, during your flight back to Headquarters?"

"No. I guess we were the transport system."

"I see." The second man tilted his head, eying her keenly. "And all that time, you and Mihoshi didn't see anything aboard with you?"

"No. I don't think they can be seen. I don't know how, but I think they're just, well, not visible to the naked eye."

"And when you had returned to Headquarters, and left the docking bay, this creature wrecked Yagami's dashboard."

"They were looking for something."

"And yet you went aboard your ship, and - so you say - interrupted their actions, they didn't hurt you?"

"I didn't say that." Kiyone said flatly. "They did something to me. I don't know what...but they forced me to leave the ship."

"In something of a state." The first man pointed out. "Kiyone-san, listen to me. The ship you and Mihoshi-san investigated was a Seniwan spy ship. You know that already. The people aboard were some of the finest military people Seniwa had to offer. That something would kill them and yet let you go - twice - unharmed, seems strange to me. Not to mention the fact that the scanners at Headquarters picked up no additional life signs from your ship or any other. There's no evidence that anything boarded the ship at all."

"You don't believe me." Kiyone's last hope flickered and died inside her, and she sent them a dark glare. "I thought you were listening to me - but you just want to laugh at me, don't you? You think I'm crazy too."

"I think you've been working far too hard." The second officer said gently. "We'll get to the bottom of the Seniwan murders, and that's a promise. But what you say doesn't make sense. According to you, this being has no physical presence. And the scanners at Headquarters didn't pick up any signals, either. But in order to commit murders as brutal as the ones aboard Tsubasa, the killer must have had a physical presence. They must be tangible and alive. The two things don't add up."

Kiyone sent them the most poisonous look that she could muster. Then she turned on her heel, flouncing back down the corridor towards the ship's living area. As she went, she could hear them discussing her behaviour.

"So sad - she's always been one of the Galaxy Police's biggest hopes." She heard one of them say.

"I guess she's not as together as she seems." That was the other, and Kiyone pulled open the door of the seating area with some force, slamming it hard behind her as she took out her frustration on the sturdy transport craft.

"Nobody wants to listen to me!" She muttered, kicking out at the seat in her temper. "People might die - people have already died! And yet they don't want to listen! How can I do my job if noone will let me even tell them what I know?"

She turned her gaze back to the window, seeing that the craft had almost reached Jurai's surface, and she frowned.

"Well, here I am, anyway." She murmured sadly. "Leaving God knows what behind me at Headquarters. That is, supposing that whatever it was didn't follow me here...aboard this ship. Not that anyone would even listen to me, if it did."

She sighed.

"Maybe someone on Jurai will care." She mused. "Ayeka might listen, if I can convince her I'm not nuts...or over-stressing. And if the Juraian throne got involved, Headquarters would have to listen. "I..."

"Detective, we're here."

The door slid back to reveal a female officer and Kiyone blushed as she realised she had been ranting to herself. The woman shot her an odd look, but made no comment. Instead she offered a smile.

"You'll have a nice break on Jurai. It's supposed to be a beautiful planet, and I understand you have friends here." She said softly.

"Yes. Some." Kiyone said flatly. "Though that's not really any concern of yours."

She sighed.

"You could at least have let Mihoshi accompany me here. She wanted to come."

"The Commander felt it better that she didn't come." The officer said softly. "She has plenty of her own work to do, after all."

She hesitated, then,

"Detective Makibi, I must ensure that you've relinquished all weaponry to us before you leave this ship. While discharged, you have no authority to use your Galaxy Police accessories, and to do so..."

"I know, and I already handed my gun and my badge in to the Commander, before I left." Kiyone cut across her, resentment flickering in the depths of her blue eyes.

"Is that all you carry?"

"No. I left the rest in my room, back at Headquarters." Kiyone shook her head. "I am unarmed - though if you want to strip me to check, I guess that you'll just have to do it."

"No. If you had come aboard the ship armed, the sensors would have picked it up." The officer told her simply. "Follow me. You're able to disembark now, so ensure you bring all your belongings with you. We won't be turning back, once we've left Jurai's atmosphere. Don't forget anything."

Kiyone treated her companion to another black glare, but she obediently scooped up her rucksack, tossing it over her shoulder as she followed the officer along the narrow hallway. At the furthest end, big double doors were slid back and a glittering ramp led down to the surface of the planet below. She hesitated for a moment, then set her teeth, marching purposefully down onto the ground without a backward glance. Behind her, she heard the whirr of the ship as it pulled in the walkway, and for a moment she had a sense of complete isolation. Then, as the ship rose slowly back up towards the planet's atmosphere, she pulled herself together, heading slowly across the familiar terrain towards a shady copse of trees.

As she reached them, she glanced upwards, seeing that already her ship was no more than a speck on the horizon.

"Good." She said bitterly, releasing the catch on her bag and tossing the contents out on the ground below. After a moment of searching, she found what she was looking for, and as she scooped up the small surveillance device, she pulled a face.

"Keeping tabs on me? Not that easy." She muttered, lifting her hand above her head and tossing the glittering sensor into the rushing water of a nearby stream. "Keep track of that, Commander. If you want me here, then fine, I'm here. But I'm not going to be spied on like I'm not able to be responsible for my own actions. I'm not sick and the sooner you realise that something dangerous is going on, the better it will be. You've exiled the wrong person. I didn't wreck Yagami and the longer you believe I did, the more danger you might all be in!"

Carefully she returned her few belongings to their bag, checking each one as she did so for additional surveillance devices. Finally, satisfied that she was no longer under the watchful eye of her superior, she got to her feet, heading slowly along the long, narrow path that led to the palace.

"I thought they'd at least send someone to meet me, but I guess I'm early." She mused, glancing down at her watch. "Ugh, I am. _Very_ early. No wonder there's noone around. Another little ploy by the Chief, I guess. Get me out here as soon as possible, then he can stop fussing about me and start worrying about the cost of repairing my ship. Figures. Maybe he thought I'd vandalise that one, too, if I was aboard it for too long. Who knows? Right now I'd believe anything of him."

She kicked bad-temperedly at a pebble, watching with little pleasure as it skipped across the ground and landed in the dip that ran along each side of the stony pathway. "This is so stupid. I shouldn't even be here. I'm fine, and I don't deserve to be treated this way. I'm being punished for doing my job properly - it sucks!"

As she rounded the corner, she ran headlong into someone coming in the opposite direction and as they collided, she struggled to steady herself, losing her footing and tumbling to the floor.

"I'm sorry." A voice said. "I suppose I didn't look where I was going."

"Me either. I was too busy muttering to myself." Kiyone said ruefully. "I'm sorry, too. I..."

She raised her eyes to her companion, words dying on her tongue as she registered the other person's features. For his part, he seemed equally dumbstruck, the hand he had proffered to help her up trembling slightly as he drew it away from her. For a moment, neither of them spoke, and then Kiyone swallowed hard, struggling against the swirl of emotion that threatened to flood her senses.

"Agent Tennan." She whispered.

A stricken expression touched the man's teal eyes, and he seemed unable at first to get to grips with himself. Then, at length, he found his own voice.

"Detective Makibi."

"I...I didn't...I didn't think...I..."

Kiyone faltered, unable to form a coherent sentence as she struggled to her feet. Fear rushed through her as memories came unbidden to the forefront of her mind.

"No." She whispered. "Please...don't hurt me. I didn't...I won't..."

"Detective, I have no intention of..." Seiryo began, but Kiyone was no longer listening.

"Leave me alone." She choked, pushing past him and fleeing down the path, her heart pounding in her throat as she fought to put as much distance between her and her companion as possible. Tears flowed down her cheeks, splashing onto the stones beneath her feet as she ran and blinding her vision, but she did not care where she was going. All she knew was that she had to get away, and that she could not stop running until she knew she was safe. In her mind's eye, the dark walls of Yagami loomed over her and she let out a cry of fear, flinging herself against the wall of the palace as she struggled to find the way in. At any moment, she knew, he might catch up to her and this knowledge added new panic to her already shattered nerves. She pounded wildly against the wood, her breath coming in ragged, frightened gasps as she waited for the touch of his hand on her shoulder, and the surge of dark energy she knew it would bring.

"_Kiyone_?"

A fresh voice broke through her terrified haze and she struggled to focus on it as she felt gentle hands touch her by the shoulders, leading her away from the hard surface of the palace wall.

"Kiyone, what on earth has gotten into you?" The voice was gentle and soothing, and gradually Kiyone felt her panic subsiding, realising that somehow she had found sanctuary and that this time, at least, she was safe. She drew a ragged breath of air into her lungs, clinging hold of the speaker as if afraid to be let go. The tears continued to spill down her cheeks, and the careful, guiding touch led her into a room, gently ushering her down onto something soft.

"Kiyone, please, calm down." The voice said gently. "This isn't like you. What were you doing wandering around the palace grounds? Ayeka wasn't expecting you until this evening - and what on earth happened? This isn't _like _you!"

At this, Kiyone made a super-human effort to check her emotions, dashing her tears away as she struggled to bring her surroundings into clearer focus. As she did so, she met the gaze of her rescuer, and new relief washed through her.

"Washu." She whispered. "It's you."

"Yes, it's me." Washu sounded completely non-plussed. "But what about _you_, Kiyone? You're not supposed to even be on Jurai till later on."

"I...I guess I'm early."

"I guess you are...but right now I'm more concerned to know why you're in floods of tears." Washu said quietly, and something in her matter-of-fact tones brought the frightened detective back to herself with a jolt. She swallowed hard, colour burning in her cheeks as she realised how badly she had lost control.

"Oh God...I'm sorry. I didn't mean to...I must have looked..."

"You were upset." Washu rested a gentle hand on her friend's shoulder. "It's all right, you know...there's noone else here and I was the only one who saw you. But I am worried. You were acting like a woman possessed, and I've never seen you that way before."

"I...I don't know what happened to me." Kiyone drew a shaking breath of air into her lungs, glancing down at her hands. "I was all right, and then..."

"And then?"

"_He_...was there." Kiyone raised troubled blue eyes to her companion's. "I didn't even think...when Mihoshi suggested I come to Jurai, it seemed like a good idea. Then. I'd forgotten that he...he would be here. And I was heading to the palace when...when..."

She faltered, and Washu looked grave.

"Are we talking about Lord Tennan, by any chance?" She asked lightly. Kiyone nodded, looking ashamed.

"I'm pathetic, I know." She said, embarrassed. "I completely lost my head. I just...I remembered...and..."

"You don't have to justify or explain yourself to me. I know." Washu held up her hand, offering her a smile. "We spoke about this once before, when you first came out of your coma. It's not cowardly to feel fear, or to suffer after-effects from a traumatic event. You've nothing to be ashamed of. I suppose seeing him again, after everything...it was unexpected. So it frightened you."

"Yes."

"Is that why you were sent here? Because of Seiryo Tennan?"

"I don't know." Kiyone sighed. "It's complicated and...well, I don't want to go into it all right now, Washu. My head is aching and I'm tired."

"I'm sure you are - I'm sorry." Washu looked contrite. "If you want to sleep here, then be my guest. I'll tell Ayeka that you've arrived, and that you're taking a nap in my room. Would that help?"

"_Your_...room?" Kiyone blinked, then, "Wait, why are _you_ here, Washu? Why are you on Jurai? You don't live here."

"Doing research...hoping to help Tokimi recover from her own magic-induced coma." Washu said simply. "Tenchi and Ryoko came with me...and now you're here, too. It's busy at the palace, all things considered."

"I see." Kiyone sighed. "Well. I'm glad you were. But please, Washu...don't...I mean..."

"Don't tell anyone about this?" Washu asked gently. Kiyone nodded.

"Please." She whispered. "Don't embarrass me to the others. I didn't mean to lose control."

"My lips are sealed." Washu smiled. "So get some rest and I'll tell Ayeka you've come. But Kiyone?"

"Yes?"

"We will talk, later." Washu got to her feet. "And I want to know exactly why you were sent to Jurai in the first place."

-------------

Dammit.

Seiryo pushed open the door of the Royal Infirmary, a dark look in his malachite eyes as he strode purposefully down the corridor. Deep in thought, he did not even notice the nurse on duty and one glance at his forebidding expression advised her that it was better not to attempt to speak to him, instead turning to pull a face at her colleague. In a matter of months, Seiryo Tennan had gained a reputation as an enigma - and none of the staff of the hospital wing knew which Seiryo they were going to get on any given day.

Oblivious to the attention he had attracted, Seiryo made straight for the little room which had housed Tokimi since their arrival on Jurai, pushing open the door and slipping inside, shutting it behind him. For a moment he leant up against the carved wood, letting out his breath in a rush as he forced himself to relax.

"I'm not going to yell and shout in here." He muttered, clenching his fists as he struggled to control his temper. "But dammit, she was the last person I expected to see on Jurai! Why did noone tell me we were going to be visited by the Galaxy Police? I could have made myself scarce. It's only too damn obvious that that girl thinks I'm some kind of loosed maniac who wants to finish the job I began aboard Yagami - and who can blame her? It's exactly what I'd think, if I'd been through what she had!"

He groaned, the tension seeping out of him as his gaze rested on Tokimi's sleeping face.

"But you don't care about all this, do you?" He murmured. "I wish I knew if you were in there...and what Tokimi was lurking behind those closed eyes. Washu is so sure that you're not going to hurt anyone any more, but sometimes I have doubts. And when something like that happens...well, maybe I did come to shout, Tokimi. Maybe I came to blame you for making me worry about the mental well being of some stupid detective that I would never have crossed paths with if you hadn't decided it was a good idea that she should die!"

He faltered, then came to sit beside the bed, touching her pale white hand with his finger.

"Is Washu right?" He wondered. "Because I've worked very hard to bring everything back together. And even if she is right, sometimes I can't help but be angry at you. I just wish I knew whether my anger was misdirected. Kiyone Makibi is the one thing that still haunts me...and she has to cross my path and make the whole thing even harder to handle. If I believed in divine intervention, I'd be yelling abuse at Tsunami for this, but I don't...so I guess I'll just have to mutter to you and hope the feeling passes."

"That's a heartfelt speech, Lord Tennan."

Washu's voice from the doorway startled him and he glanced up, his eyes clouding over as he took in the gravity of her expression.

"So everyone is on Jurai today, it seems." He murmured. "I suppose you are responsible for the arrival of Detective Makibi too, are you, Washu-sama?"

"No...as a matter of fact, that's a complete coincidence. I didn't know she was going to be on Jurai at all." Washu shook her head. "I came to see Tokimi, and to raid the Royal Library - but Azusa isn't here to ask, and Ayeka can't seem to find the key at present."

She eyed him keenly.

"I did think you might be here, however, when I didn't find you at the Tennan estate." She added. "And I thought it was as well that I found you, before more damage was done."

Seiryo turned his gaze back towards the bed.

"I did nothing to her." He said quietly. "Whether you believe me or not, it's the truth."

"I do believe you." Washu settled herself comfortably on Tokimi's other side, eying him with her sharp, penetrating gaze. "I'd know if it was otherwise. Body language is a language in itself, you know, Lord Tennan. Deception is very hard to conceal from a Kii."

"So why are you looking for me, then?" Seiryo asked quizzically. "Obviously you've seen Miss Makibi, and obviously you know that we encountered one another in the grounds. But she was the one who ran off like a mad thing without even letting me speak."

"Well, the whole business was traumatic for her, and I doubt she expected to see you so soon." Washu said simply. "It's all right, Seiryo-dono. I haven't come to scold. Just to advise you that - if you had had any ideas of breaching the gap in some way - it probably isn't a good idea. For one thing, Ryoko is very fond of Kiyone, and she's already made it clear that she'll make trouble if you hurt her friend. And for another, I don't think it would be good for you or for Kiyone right at the moment. All things considered, you might want to keep your distance."

"If I'd known in advance, there would have been no meeting. One thing I can be is discreet." Seiryo said bitterly. "I have no desire to see her either, Washu-sama. The walking proof of my attempted murder...no. I could live without returning to that place, believe me."

"I'm sure that's true." Washu said pensively. She glanced down at her sister, shaking her head slowly.

"Tokimi-chan, you have so much to answer for." She murmured softly. Seiryo started, staring at his companion in surprise.

"I thought you didn't blame her for what happened on Kihaku." He objected. "Was that a lie?"

"No, not a lie. I don't blame her for it...she did what she felt she had to do, and that's all." Washu shook her head. "But the end result is the same. She's hurt. You're hurt. Kiyone is distressed. And this all happened six months ago. You'd expect wounds to heal over time...but it was pretty clear to me today that Kiyone's wounds are as fresh as they were that night Mihoshi brought her to me."

She pursed her lips, her gaze flickering over Seiryo's body, and absorbing the tension in his demeanour. She sighed.

"Perhaps yours are too. You hide your feelings better than she does, but it's still there."

"You're not going to psychoanalyse me." Seiryo got to his feet, moving to the window of the chamber. "I don't need it."

"Perhaps you don't." Washu spread her hands. "And I wasn't going to try to. I only came to tell you to give Kiyone a wide berth, that's all. She's been discharged from the Galaxy Police for a while, and I think the intention is that she gets some rest. So..."

"Discharged?" Stricken, Seiryo turned back to his companion. "Because of me?"

"I don't know yet. We haven't had a chance to discuss it." Washu said seriously. "But it's possible. If nothing else, she took the attack very much to heart. Tokimi's magic has emotional side effects - you know that. Noone who is ever touched by it is completely the same afterwards. It's just not possible to go back, once you're tainted by it's lure."

"I don't need to be told about the effects of Tokimi's magic." Seiryo said darkly. "I live with them every day, Washu. I don't need to be educated."

"No, I didn't think you did." Washu said softly. "I'm not here to judge you, or patronise you, either. I come as a friend, that's all. You've done much to help my sister. I want to be able to say I've done the same for you."

"Help...me?" Seiryo started, staring at her in confusion. "But I don't need help, Washu-sama. I'm fit and well, now. I'm back on the Council, taking responsibility for my family and everything here on Jurai. I'm all right. I don't think it's me who needs your help."

"I disagree." Washu shook her head. "You're worried about that girl, aren't you? Kiyone, I mean. You still worry about it - how close you came to taking her life. You're a very together person, and I doubt before Tokimi's magic touched you that you would have thought twice about the feelings of someone so far beneath you in the Galaxy Police hierarchy, let alone the social one. But now it's different. Much as you try and control your feelings, I know you've experienced a lot of negativity and doubt since your hearing. I've done my homework, really - before I testified the way I did in court that day, I wanted to be sure in my own mind about the man I was going to defend. Considering all you had done, I had to think carefully about whether you posed a risk to anyone. You hurt Kiyone very badly, and I wanted to be sure that it wouldn't happen again. So I suppose I know you better than you think I do."

"Kii magic told you all of those things, did it?" Seiryo asked sardonically. Washu laughed.

"No. But Lord Takeru told me a lot of things about your childhood together, and I read between lines well." She said simply. "All the things you never bothered about as a kid haunt you now, don't they?"

"You are psychoanalysing me. You lied." Seiryo said blackly. "Please, Washu-sama. I know you have the right to see your sister, and I'm not going to try and prevent you. But the last thing I need is someone coming in and telling me how my brain works. I know how it works. I've been rudely introduced to all it's less pleasant impulses since Father died. If you really want to help me..."

"Stop trying to see behind the facade?" Washu asked softly.

"It's not a damn facade!" Seiryo clenched his fists, only just managing to control the tone of his voice as he remembered where he was.

"I'm not trying to upset you, Seiryo-sama." Washu glanced at her hands. "And I know you are better. In a manner of speaking. I suppose part of my reason for quizzing you is to try and get a better impression of Tokimi's condition - you might well be telling me the things she can't, after all. And in the final analysis...well, I spent a long time fretting over the death of my world, when I first realised that I'd abandoned it too soon. Learning that Jurai's mining was ultimately what drove my sister mad is some slight comfort, but I still feel a little to blame for it. I learnt to deal with it, but it wasn't easy. And you have the same situation with Kiyone. It might seem over to the people around you - even to you yourself, maybe. But when you consider that just seeing her face to face can upset you still - I'm just saying, maybe there's still something you need to find closure on."

"It wasn't seeing her face." Seiryo said softly, his temper fading at Washu's words. "It was the way she looked at me. Like I...like I was some monster. Like I would hurt her again, if I had the chance. That look, Washu. It's the same look she gave me aboard Yagami, when she asked me if I was going to kill her. I can't erase that from my thoughts, no matter what I do. It's always there...and seeing her made me realise it all over again. Six months is nothing. It's always going to be there."

"Perhaps the memory will." Washu said wisely. "The pain and blame, possibly not. It all depends on how you handle it. Bottling it up isn't going to repair your conscience or undo the action. Sometimes it's facing up to our faults and our crimes that make us strong. Not running away from them."

She shrugged, looking rueful.

"I don't mean to preach, but I do speak from experience." She added softly. "I always say that I have no regrets about my life or my judgement, but that's just another in a long catalogue of lies that I've created to protect myself, over the centuries."

"All right." Seiryo eyed her thoughtfully. "So what do you regret, Washu-sama? The death of your world...what else?"

"That's a little too much probing from an almost stranger." Washu said reproachfully, and Seiryo smiled at her slightly.

"No more than you prying into my mind." He said quietly. "I may be just another stupid Juraian noble to you now, Lady Washu, but I was a Galaxy Police Elite Agent. And I am not a fool. What works for you works for me also. You can't take without also giving."

Washu eyed him for a moment, then she laughed, clasping his hand in hers.

"You know, I do like you." She said reflectively. "It's such a shame that my daughter has a bee in her bonnet about you, because of what happened in the past. Ryoko doesn't like to let go of grievances, and you made the mistake of hurting Kiyone _and _Tenchi. It's a pity, when all is said and done. You have a quick mind and I like that."

"Well, Ryoko can think what she likes." Seiryo's gaze flitted back to the still form of Tokimi, a frown on his face. "I didn't ask for her approval. Or for yours, for that matter."

"Still, you have it." Washu said simply. "I think you have the opportunity to be a very great man, Seiryo Tennan. I just hope that you learn to follow your true instincts and take that chance, that's all."

"What do you mean?" Seiryo stared. Washu shrugged.

"Guess time will tell if it even matters." She replied airily. "In the meantime, I'm being rude to my sister, and so are you. We're all but ignoring her, and it can't be nice to hear us going at one another like this, even if we're not exactly fighting."

"Do you think she hears?" Seiryo wondered. Washu frowned.

"No idea." She admitted. "It frustrates me. But that's why I'm here. There may be Kii records in the Royal Archive which can tell me more."

"I'm surprised that, if that's the case, Azusa didn't already send someone to research it." Seiryo said quietly. "Considering that he must care whether or not Tokimi is a national risk."

"It wouldn't matter even if he did. Azusa can't read Kii, and nor can any of his advisors." Washu shook her head. "Tokimi and I are probably the only living beings who can read what the Priests and Priestesses left behind them."

"I suppose that makes sense." Seiryo acknowledged. "What do you think you'll find?"

"I don't think I'll know until I find it." Washu admitted. "Lord Seiryo, I need to know how far your benevolence towards my sister is going to reach."

"Meaning?"

"That if Tokimi was to wake, would you still be supportive of her, regardless of her condition?"

"Suki and I already undertook this as our duty to the Crown. I think that binds us to it regardless." Seiryo agreed. "Besides, if she is the girl you say she is, I'd like to think she won't wake up a monster."

"A monster, no. But impaired...possibly." Washu frowned. "Consider what effect this had on you, Seiryo-sama. And then consider the damage so much exposure could do to one mind. Even a Kii mind, acclimatised to the ways of the planet and the ritual associated with it. I think that is my greatest fear - that Tokimi will be compromised somehow, when she wakes. I need to know that there will always be people here to support her, if that proves to be the case."

"I see." Seiryo's expression softened. He nodded.

"Yes, Lady Washu. You have my assurance that Suki and I won't abandon Tokimi easily." He agreed. "If you can accept the word of a Tennan, I will give it to you that I won't let any harm befall her if I can possibly prevent it."

"Your word is good enough for me, Lord Tennan." Washu said gravely. "Thank you."

She touched Tokimi's hand, then glanced up.

"Seiryo-san, about Kiyone..."

"Yes?" Seiryo's head jerked up, apprehension flickering in his gaze once more as he eyed her questioningly.

"Give it time and don't try to fight it. It will resolve itself, so long as you don't try and shut out the feelings that are upsetting you." Washu smiled. "And I'll tell Kiyone the same thing, when I have a chance."

"I can handle my thoughts and my emotions, Washu-sama. And I will." Seiryo said frankly. "Save your concern and your sympathy for Detective Makibi. It seems to me that she's the one who really needs it."

Washu pursed her lips, eying him keenly.

"Well, I wonder about that." She murmured. "But I guess we'll see."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

Headquarters was quiet without Kiyone.

Mihoshi leant up against the big glass window, letting out a heavy sigh as she stared out across the expanse of space. She had wanted to accompany her friend to Jurai, but she had found herself held back by her Commander and she regretted the fact bitterly. That she couldn't even show her closest friend support as she took her leave bothered her, and ever since the craft had left, she had been worrying about Kiyone and whether or not she'd had a safe trip.

"I suppose they'll be back soon." She murmured aloud. "But she won't be with them. I wonder whether the Commander is right about her needing a holiday. She has had bad dreams, but still...I don't know. It's all so confusing and I really don't understand all this stuff about invisible people and Yagami."

The ship had, she knew, been pulled to the repair bay only that morning, and already investigators had been all over it, searching for some clue as to what force might have damaged the drive room. As far as she knew, their search had been inconclusive. Although Kiyone's prints had been found all over her computer console, there had been no evidence to suggest she had committed the violent attack. And yet they had found no trace of any other, either, and so the suspicion still rested uneasily on the troubled detective's head.

For some reason this bothered Mihoshi more than the rest.

"If she said she didn't do it, well, Kiyone isn't a liar and I believe her." She said firmly. "Which means that someone else must have done it, or it wouldn't have been done. Kiyone said she thought that it was whoever killed the people on the Seniwan ship, but that's strange...we didn't see anyone on that ship. So they must have been invisible, if Kiyone's right. But can people really go invisible? I mean, wouldn't that make them like a ghost or something? Oh, my head hurts - I can't figure this out. I promised that I believed her and I do...but how do you find invisible ghost criminals?"

"Mihoshi, why are you here?"

The commander's voice startled her and she spun around, saluting clumsily as she registered his presence.

"I was thinking about Kiyone." She said honestly. "I miss her, Commander. When is she coming back?"

"When she feels better." The Commander said vaguely. "Mihoshi, I know you and Kiyone are very close and you have a good partnership between you. I'm gratified to discover that when you work with her, you manage - somehow - to produce better results than you ever do on your own. But in this particular situation, she needs time alone to work things out. What you told me about Agent Tennan has upset her nerves more badly than she's let anyone see...she just needs a break from her workload, that's all."

"Seiryo Tennan attacked me, too." Mihoshi said thoughtfully. "With his weird magic from that demon lady person. But I'm not upset, Commander. Tenchi was there to protect me and I'm all right. I don't understand why Kiyone isn't. She's not a coward, after all. She's much braver than me and I don't think she wanted to go away."

"I think we have a lot to talk about, regarding Agent Tennan and his activities before he left the Galaxy Police." The commander said grimly. "But different people react to situations differently. I'm sorry you're worried about her, Mihoshi, and if you think I've been cruel. But I'm worried about her too. She's a damn fine detective and right now she needs support from the organisation to whom she has always given her loyalty. That's why we've done this. Not to hurt her. But to help her."

"But..."

"Mihoshi, Kiyone is a very distressed young woman at present." The commander said softly. "Aside from the things you've mentioned, there is the unsettled issue of Yagami, and the fact she was hearing voices when she was there. These things are not the actions of a normal, rational human being. It's a sign of someone who needs help. You have to realise that...your friend is unwell and we're doing all we can to ensure she gets well."

"Kiyone didn't wreck Yagami, sir." Mihoshi said flatly. "She said she didn't and I believe her."

"Well, I wish I could, but I don't see how I can." The commander sighed. "Not with the evidence we have."

"She said invisible people attacked Yagami and killed the people on the Seniwan ship."

"And you believe that, too?"

"Yes." Mihoshi said defiantly.

"Even though it's clearly illogical?"

"I believe it." Mihoshi folded her arms, glaring at her chief stubbornly. "Because Kiyone doesn't lie to me."

"I'm not suggesting she lied." The commander sighed heavily. "But that she's confused. That's all. What she said doesn't make sense."

"Yes it does." Mihoshi said stubbornly. "We went on that ship and there were dead people and we didn't see anyone kill them so the person who killed them must be invisible."

"Mihoshi..." The commander sighed again. "Never mind. Let it go, please. Kiyone will come back as soon as she's had a few weeks rest. I promise, she hasn't been sent away forever."

"Well, I miss her." Mihoshi pouted. "You could have let me go with her."

"Would that I could let you go and stay with her." The commander muttered. "But unfortunately, protocol disallows it. Besides, I'm sure you have plenty to do."

"Yes, but I can't work without Kiyone. I just can't." Mihoshi frowned. "We're partners. It's just always been that way."

"Commander?" Before the commander could respond, another officer accosted them, saluting sharply as they gazed at the chief with apprehension in her eyes. "Commander, I'm sorry to interrupt but you really need to come quickly."

"Has something happened, Mitsuki?" The commander frowned. "What's wrong? You look unsettled."

"That's an understatement." Mitsuki's gaze flitted briefly to Mihoshi, then, "Sir, we went to Kiyone's office to do as you said - file her outstanding paperwork and make sure the office was secured. But the whole place has been ransacked. It's chaos from top to bottom - boxes pulled from the shelves and stuff tossed all over the place. I never saw such a mess."

"I see." The commander looked grave. "Then I'd better come with you. Has anyone touched the scene?"

"No, sir. Once we saw what had happened, we locked the door and I came to fetch you." Mitsuki shook her head.

"Then you'd better come with me back there. Mihoshi, you too." The commander pursed his lips. "You might be able to tell us if anything is missing from Kiyone's office - although I do have my doubts. Still, it's worth a try."

"Someone's wrecked Kiyone's office?" Mihoshi's eyes became big with alarm. "But...who would do something like that? It's so weird...she's just gone away and now this happens?"

"It's certainly concerning." The commander acknowledged, as they made their way down the hallway towards the wing where Kiyone's office was situated. "Tell me, Officer Mitsuki, what were your impressions of the scene?"

"It looked like someone had just gone to town messing it up." Mitsuki frowned. "Just a total mess, that's all."

"I see." The commander shot Mihoshi an apprehensive look, then, "This office has been security sealed, hasn't it? Since I spoke to Detective Makibi late last night?"

"Yes, sir." Mitsuki nodded her head. "But...do you think she did it? Before she left?"

"She was told not to go back to her office, but she is the only other one with the override code." The commander said heavily. "And she was upset after our conversation. I don't like it, but it is possible."

"Kiyone was with me last night, Commander. Stop saying she did stuff that she didn't do." Mihoshi protested. "She's not even here and she was with me after she spoke to you. I came to talk to her because I was going to miss her and she couldn't have come back down here."

"And you didn't fall asleep at all, during that time?" The Commander asked quietly. Mihoshi frowned, shrugging her shoulders.

"Gee, I don't remember. It's hard to remember when you sleep." She said seriously. "Kiyone did, I know that. But she was there last night and this morning, too. So she couldn't have wrecked her office."

She spread her hands.

"Maybe it's the invisible person again." She suggested. "Maybe they were trying to find something in Kiyone's office or something."

"Invisible...people?" Mitsuki stared at her colleague in bemusement, and the commander let out a heavy sigh.

"We've already been through this, Mihoshi." He said wearily. "Even supposing there was an invisible person, what do you suppose they'd want to find in Kiyone's office? Do you know of anything that she had there that anyone would have wanted to steal?"

"Well, she had half a packet of biscuits in the top desk drawer." Mihoshi creased her brow in concentration. "And some of those chocolate candies from the Earth. And..."

"And you think some creature that killed three people hacked Kiyone's security code to steal her snacks?" Mitsuki snorted. "Mihoshi, what are you talking about now?"

"I don't know what they might be looking for." Mihoshi defended herself. "I'm not an invisible person and I don't know how they think. Maybe they really like chocolate candies. They might, you know. They do taste really good."

"This is getting us nowhere." The commander held up his hands as they reached the door of Kiyone's office, surrounded as it was by three or four other officers. "All right, let's see what the state of this place is. Open it up, please...I want to look."

"Yes, sir." The nearest officer saluted, then did as he was bidden, and Mihoshi peered into the office over her boss's shoulder, letting out an exclamation as she registered the state of devastation that lay before her. As Mitsuki had said, papers and boxes lay all over the floor, torn from shelves in some kind of wild rampage through the office. The computer system had been disconnected and the main monitor had an extensive crack in it that ran from left to right across the screen. Drawers had been pulled from the desk, their contents emptied unceremoniously on top of several criminal files, and writing implements were scattered all over the place, some leaking ink into the cheap office carpet that lay below. As they stepped into the room itself, something else caught Mihoshi's eye and she darted forward, scooping something up from off the ground.

"Mihoshi?" The commander sent her an inquisitive glance, and Mihoshi held it out, anger in her blue eyes.

"Kiyone didn't wreck this office, sir." She said firmly. "Because of this."

"Because of a picture?" The commander frowned, taking it from her and glancing at the cracked glass and dented frame as he carefully set it down on the edge of the desk. "I don't understand. What do you mean, Detective?"

"That picture was taken on Jurai, after Ayeka's wedding." Mihoshi said frankly.

"_Princess _Ayeka, Mihoshi. Let's not forget who we're speaking of." The commander reproached her. Mihoshi shrugged.

"Well, she doesn't mind if I call her Ayeka." She said carelessly. "But what I mean is, it's a picture taken of all of us together. Of Kiyone and her friends. She really likes this picture and she always keeps it safe...it usually sits on her desk and she gets really cross when I knock it flying off the desk. Sometimes that happens, you see, because I sit on the edge and I don't see where it is and then it goes flying and..."

"Get to the point, Detective."

"Oh. Well. What I mean is that even if she was angry, Kiyone wouldn't stamp all over that picture or let it get messed up. In fact, she'd probably have taken it with her, if she was going back into her office before she left." Mihoshi said quietly, her expression uncharacteristically solemn. "So she can't have done it, because she didn't take it with her and whoever came in here didn't know that this was Kiyone's special picture."

The Commander frowned, hesitating and then scooping the picture up once more, gently brushing the loose chips of glass onto the floor. For a moment he eyed it thoughtfully, then he turned his gaze on Mihoshi, a mixture of surprise and acknowledgement on his face.

"I don't often say this, Mihoshi, but you may be onto something." He said quietly.

"Really?" Mihoshi stared. "Are you sure? I mean, usually my theories don't go anywhere...do you think I might be right this time?"

"You are one of the most unfortunate detectives I know, most of the time." The Commander admitted. "But I will grant you one thing. You do know Kiyone better than anyone else at Headquarters. And so I'm prepared to listen to you as regards this picture. If you say she wouldn't have acted in that way...I'll believe you. She did get agitated when I told her she couldn't go back into her office. Maybe that was why. Maybe she wanted to retrieve some personal belongings before she quit the complex for Jurai."

"Does that mean she can come back?" Mihoshi asked hopefully. "That someone else wrecked her office and Yagami and she's not stressed out after all?"

"No...it's not so simple as that and I'm still not convinced this changes my opinion of Yagami's attack. It doesn't alter the fact that she was in a highly distressed state over Agent Tennan's attack before we spoke the other day, either." The Commander shook her head. "But it does look like...like someone set out to add insult to injury. Whether they were just vandalising this place, or whether they were looking for something specific, it's hard to say. But it's definitely something worth looking into."

He turned, meeting Mitsuki's surprised gaze with a sombre one of his own.

"Officer Mitsuki, I want every inch of this office examined for evidence. Fingerprints, DNA, anything that might give away the true identity of our intruder." He murmured. "If Kiyone didn't do this to her office...I want to know who did. And most of all, I want to know why."

---------------

"I'm sorry that this has taken so long, Washu."

Ayeka cast her companion a sheepish smile, as she slid the pass key into the big wooden lock, running her fingers over the scanner as she did so. "Father updated the security on all restricted archives like this after Sasami did her sleepwalking trick and blew apart half the locks in the vault. Uncle usually keeps the key somewhere at hand, since you can't open the new locks without a specific genetic marker, but this time I suppose he put it down on top of those court review papers and it just got filed by mistake. If Takeru hadn't been going over something for a meeting of his own this morning, I wouldn't have found it at all."

"I suppose even Emperors get absent-minded." Washu's eyes sparkled with amusement. "But I appreciate you giving me access to this part of the library. I know that usually it's off limits to anyone outside the royal bloodline, and I realise that your Uncle and I haven't always seen eye to eye on issues. But I'm hoping that the records I'm searching for might be in your vault. If they're not, they were probably destroyed with my planet or in the chaos before, and that would leave me at something of a loss."

"It seems a long way to come just to go over some old paperwork." Ayeka frowned, leading the way into the dim, dusty chamber as the door swung shut behind them. She pocketed the key, gesturing to the large filing cabinets that ran wall to wall along the back. "But all the data from the colonised worlds is over there, if you're brave enough to go searching. I'm not sure whether all of it ever got fully catalogued. My Grandfather began it, but then events happened with Kain and well, Uncle never got round to doing much with it."

"I suppose there's not much point in doing anything with archives you can't even read." Washu made her way across the chamber to the nearest filing cabinet, running her finger along it's smooth black surface. "You're not kidding either, are you? Ayeka, it doesn't look like this place has been touched since before you or Sasami were born!"

"Probably not." Ayeka looked rueful. "Honestly, Washu, Kihaku isn't really high on anyone's priority list here. It was consigned as a dead colony a long time ago - I read the reports when you wanted to dig out the file, just to make sure we hadn't jettisoned what little information we do have out into space to make room for other stuff. But according to the index this is where it is. Where...that's up to you to find out. But here - somewhere."

"I suppose I'm not in a tearing hurry. Proper research does take time." Washu acknowledged.

"Why do you want this stuff, anyway? If I may ask?" Ayeka leant back against the wall, eying her friend curiously. "I mean, Kihaku as an entity is gone and I would have thought it would only bring back bad memories to you, considering everything. Why the sudden interest?"

"Simple." Washu pulled open the nearest drawer, coughing as her action sent up a thick cloud of dust. "Hey! You could almost use this to ambush people! I'm interested because of Tokimi, that's why. I've given up on scientific remedies where she's concerned, and even though Jurai has some of the finest medical breakthroughs known to living society, none of them have done anything, either. Kihaku is my last resort. I'm hoping Kii magic might help my sister where nothing else has."

"Are you sure that raising Tokimi is a good idea?" Ayeka looked doubtful. "I know you and she were close once, but Washu, a lot of time has passed. Things have happened. Who knows what that magic really did to her brain? She could still be dangerous, you know. You said yourself that Kii magic drove her mad."

"Yes, it did, but I refuse to give up on her." Washu said sadly. "Would you give up, if we were talking about Sasami?"

"I guess not." Ayeka admitted. "All right. I suppose I see your point."

"I need to do this." Washu agreed. "And it's all right, Ayeka. Whatever has happened to Tokimi's mind, I'm sure that her magic was quashed with Kihaku's explosion. You saw how Seiryo Tennan was released from it almost immediately and Ryoko has told me how the Galaxy Police officers were also returned to themselves once the spell was broken."

"But you also said earlier on that you still had traces of your magic inside of you, when you first asked me for the key." Ayeka said quietly. "Doesn't it stand to reason that Tokimi would as well?"

"Not really. She never had any to begin with, whereas I was born with mine." Washu flicked carefully through the sheeted files, making sure that she did not send up another dustcloud as she examined the labels. "Do you suppose there's any order at all in this filing system? Alphabetised, perhaps?"

"Maybe, but I wouldn't like to guess which alphabet." Ayeka grimaced. "I think I'll leave you to it. Happy hunting, Washu...I hope you find what you're looking for. I have to go prepare for Council and Uncle has apparently brought back with him a lot of 'very important' documents. I'd better not be late."

"It's a laugh a minute, being Crown Princess of Jurai, isn't it?" Washu said dryly. Ayeka rolled her eyes.

"Sometimes, yes." She agreed. "Oh well. At least Council Session is better than mediating a dispute between two greedy noblemen. I'll see you later."

She made to leave, then paused.

"Oh, one last thing?"

"Yes, Ayeka?" Washu glanced up from the document she had been squinting at, eying the Princess quizzically. "What is it?"

"You spoke with Kiyone last night. Did she say anything about why she was here on Jurai? She seemed quiet at dinner, but I haven't had a chance to talk to her properly yet."

"Nor have I, honestly." Washu looked thoughtful. "She was very tired when I met her coming across the grounds towards the palace yesterday afternoon, so I let her sleep off her...her flight lag in my room, where it was peaceful. I told her we'd talk, but I got caught up in other things and if you remember, I missed dinner because I was with Tokimi. I didn't eat till much later and by the time I got back to my room and remembered about Kiyone, she had gone. I presumed you'd assigned her her own quarters and she'd gone to bed...why?"

"I don't know." Ayeka pursed her lips. "Just the girl I spoke to last night didn't seem quite...well...right somehow. She seemed...on edge. Angry, too, about something - though she didn't really elaborate on what. She spoke to me all right, when I addressed a comment to her, and she was happy enough to go with Sasami when it came to sorting out where she was going to stay. But there was something...did you notice it, too?"

"She seemed tired and fed up." Washu said simply. "But I wouldn't like to speculate too much. Kiyone would hate it, you know that. It's better to ask her straight - she wouldn't thank us for talking about her behind her back."

"No, I know. I'm just concerned." Ayeka flashed a tired smile at her companion. "All right. I suppose I'll try and make time after my session this morning to speak with her - if Suki and Sasami haven't found something else to occupy her. I did ask Sasami to take care of her, and my sister does believe in doing things thoroughly."

"Sasami and Suki are quite the little playmates now, aren't they?" Washu looked thoughtful, and Ayeka nodded, a flicker of pain crossing her ruby eyes. It was gone in a moment, but Washu had seen it and noted it, eying her friend keenly as she made her reply.

"It's nice for Sasami to have friends of her own at court." The Princess said slowly.

"But you don't like Suki?" Washu asked softly. Ayeka started, then looked guilty.

"It's not that." She admitted. "I just...well, call me overprotective, but I'm not sure how much I like Sasami being involved with the Tennan family. Uncle has forgiven Seiryo, and I haven't seen any indication that he's up to anything, which means I'm being paranoid and worse, prejudiced. But I never did like him, and his animosity towards Takeru is still there, flickering beneath the surface. You can see it, whenever they meet one another face to face. I can't forget how he tried to kill my husband, Washu - and even if he has remorse for his attack on Kiyone, I'm pretty sure that the only remorse he has over Takeru is that he didn't finish the job. That bothers me. With Sasami in as pivotal position as she is, I don't know if I like the association."

"Well, or maybe you're just jealous that she's found someone else to spend time with?" Washu asked glibly. Ayeka stared, and Washu laughed.

"I wouldn't blame you, but Sasami has to make her own inroads and friendships." She continued more gently. "And honestly, Ayeka, if it puts your mind at rest, I've seen nothing in either Suki or Seiryo Tennan that suggests Sasami is in any danger from either of them. I don't pretend Seiryo is perfect and it's quite likely he still harbours a good amount of resentment towards Takeru. Rivalries like that aren't destroyed overnight, as you should know from your own with my daughter. But I don't think he'll put your sister in any danger. Or, for that matter, Lord Takeru. I think he has a good deal too much sense to make the same mistake twice."

"It's a comfort to hear you say that, at least." Ayeka said pensively. "Maybe I am just a little jealous. It's hard to know for sure. But Sasami and I have always been very close - ever since she was a baby. I suppose with the big age gap...it just seemed natural that she'd look up to me and she did - she always has. But..."

"She always will, Ayeka-chan." Washu said quietly. "You have to give her her wings, that's all. Let her fly. She'll come back to you - she loves you. But she won't thank you for interfering in her friendships."

"I know." Ayeka looked rueful. "It's all right. I won't intervene. And now I really must go, before Uncle sends Azaka or Kamidake to find me."

She flashed Washu another tired smile.

"Thank you for trying to put my mind at rest, and I hope the records you seek are indeed somewhere inside this vault." She added.

Then she was gone, and Washu was left alone amid the dust and darkness. She glanced up at the cabinet, pursing her lips as she considered the problem.

"Well, I suppose all I can do is go through things, one at a time, until I find what I'm looking for." She mused aloud. "I just hope that it is here, somewhere...because if I can't find Kii records here, there's nowhere else left to look!"


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

So the Emperor was back on Jurai.

Tenchi set down his jacket on the end of his bed, sitting down as he contemplated how best to break the news to his great grandfather.

"He did give us his blessing, so he can't really object. In fact, he'd probably rather we were married than not." He realised. "But...he might decide it's a good idea we did it as soon as possible, and I don't know that either of us have really been thinking about dates. It's too soon. Hell, he might even decide we should do it here, on Jurai. Ryoko would never forgive me...no. I have to think about this carefully. I don't want to fight with her. But I do want to marry her. And I do want all of my family to accept it and be happy for me."

He flopped back on his bed, sighing heavily as he remembered the meal the previous evening. Ayeka had been presiding, and there had been little chance for them to speak beyond a brief few pleasantries. Although in his heart he knew that Washu was right and that he had to tell her sometime, the more he thought about it, the less easy the right words seemed to be to find.

"Better I tell her than Ryoko." He decided, gazing up at the mottled ceiling as he made up his mind. "Which means I have to find something to say. Come on, Tenchi. This is stupid. Ayeka is one of your closest friends - almost like a sister. And she's married...she won't care."

But in his heart, he knew she would.

He closed his eyes as he considered his options. To do it too casually would be a mistake, for Ayeka might easily take offence and think he was not bothered about her reaction. And yet, if he put too much emphasis on it...

"You look lost in thought." A voice made him jump and his eyes snapped open, meeting the amused gaze of his fiancee as she hovered inches above his bed. He let out a yell, and she chuckled, placing her hands on his shoulders as she eyed him coquettishly.

"Well, and it looks like you weren't expecting company." She said playfully. "Were you having naughty thoughts about me, Tenchi-kun? Shameful...and on Jurai, too!"

"Ryoko, what are you doing here?" Tenchi scrambled into a sitting position, regathering his wits as she settled daintily down beside him on the covers. "This is my room...you know how people are on this planet. What if someone saw you?"

"What about it?" Ryoko seemed unconcerned. "We're engaged. We're allowed to spend time together. Aren't we?"

"On Jurai? Probably not without sixteen chaperones in tow." Tenchi sighed. "The higher up you are in the social hierarchy, the more they peer at you. You should have realised that by now."

"Well, I guess that's just what comes from marrying a Prince." Ryoko shrugged her shoulders. "C'est la vie, as they say."

"Ryoko." Tenchi rolled his eyes, and his companion laughed, touching his cheek playfully.

"Oh, relax." She scolded. "There's noone here but you and me."

"Yes, that's kind of what I meant." Tenchi said meaningfully. "If you're going to teleport into my room at random, you could give me warning. I might have still been changing."

"I sort of hoped you were, but I guess I timed it wrong." Ryoko said pensively. "But I missed you, Tenchi. Why are you up here, anyway? Washu has holed herself up in the palace library now Azusa is back, and I was looking for Kiyone, but Sasami seems to have spirited her off to some place Space Pirates aren't allowed to go without an escort. I think they went to Tsunami's tree to do something - talk or read or play hide and seek, whatever Sasami does when she's not being the Goddess. I was bored. Ayeka's working, would you believe, and noone's around."

"So you came looking for me as your last resort?" Tenchi raised an eyebrow, and Ryoko grimaced at him.

"You know that's not what I meant." She said. "I just wanted to find you. That's all."

"For what, exactly?" Tenchi asked. "Because this isn't a good time to be fooling around."

"It's as good a time as any." Ryoko pouted. "The whole point is, noone else _is_ here. Tenchi...I thought you loved me. Why don't you want to touch me when we're on Jurai? It's not like you don't know what you're doing. I'm a good teacher and you don't have that excuse any more."

"Oh, Ryoko." Tenchi sighed, sliding an arm around her shoulders. "Look. Azusa, Ayeka, Haru and the rest - they're family to both of us. And you might not care if you offend people, but I do. Azusa-heika is Jii-chan's father and even if they don't always see eye to eye, I know that Jii-chan would be upset with me, if I did something to shame him while I was here on Jurai. Besides, I don't want to cause a scandal. I do love you. You know I do. But I need you to understand - there are times and there are places. And this is neither one."

"All right." Ryoko sighed, leaning up against him. "So let's do something else instead. This planet is so boring, you know. Even Ryo Ohki has just curled up and gone to sleep on my pillow."

"She did just fly across the universe...she's probably still catching up on her rest." Tenchi pointed out. "And what do you want to do?"

"That's just it. There's nothing _to_ do." Ryoko groaned. "Except what you've already negated, so you think of something. I don't know how long Washu's investigations are going to take, Tenchi-kun, but I almost wish I'd let her take the ship and be done with it. Even if it meant Ryo Ohki and I were parted for a while...it might have been better."

"Maybe." Tenchi acknowledged. "But in some ways, I think it's right that we did come."

He bit his lip.

"I was actually trying to think of a way of broaching our news with the Juraian side of our family tree." He admitted. "I mean, I was working it out. Biologically speaking, even if it is a couple of times removed, you and I are something like fourth cousins. Is that a bad thing, do you think?"

"On this planet, they marry their first cousins. I wouldn't put it past them to marry their brothers or sisters, if it came to it." Ryoko snorted. "If you think that will bother Azusa, you can relax. He won't mind about that. Besides, it is a couple of times removed, and the genetic link between us is really very weak."

"I know." Tenchi acknowledged. "I guess. Ryoko, how would you tell them?"

"If I was bothered about them knowing, I guess I'd just do it straight out." Ryoko shrugged. "But I don't need censure or approval from Jurai's King to be with the man I want, Tenchi. And nor do you need it to be with me. Don't let the whole authority thing sway you. He's just another guy - his cape just has bigger shoulder pads than yours. That's all."

Tenchi laughed.

"I'll try and remember it that way." He said, amused. "I don't suppose you want to come with me?"

"No." Ryoko shook her head. "I told you - I don't care. It's not me who feels the need to send out the bulletin. It's not like we'd invite the King of Jurai to our wedding - if we even knew when we were going to have a wedding."

"True, although he might say he wants us to marry here." Tenchi eyed her doubtfully. Ryoko snorted.

"That's not happening." She said flatly. "I am not a Princess of Jurai and I will not have that hypocritical council pandering to us in some false ceremony. I want an Earth wedding, Tenchi - remember that. That's my home and I'm an honorary Earthling now. So if he even suggests it, you can tell him to get a life. It's not even an option."

"I thought you'd say that."

"Good. I'm glad you know my mind so well." Ryoko gazed up at him. "And Ayeka? Tenchi, are you really worried about telling her? Because I will, if you're that scared."

"No...I think it would be better I did. I mean, it should be me." Tenchi hesitated, then, "Ryoko, you're a woman. Tell me something."

"I'm glad you noticed, since you're going to marry me." Ryoko teased.

"Oh Ryoko, stop it." Tenchi pulled a face at her. "I just wanted your opinion - when we left Jurai after Ayeka's wedding, you said that she still had feelings for me. Do you think that's still the case now? Or not? Because..."

"Because you don't want to hurt her?" Ryoko stared at him. "You still are soft on that girl, aren't you?"

"Not in a romantic sense, Ryoko-chan. But I am worried about her feelings. Yes." Tenchi agreed. "She matters to me, you know that. I don't want to upset her."

"It's hard to tell." Ryoko said thoughtfully. "She and Takeru sure seem close, and she didn't hesitate to run into the action to save him when Seiryo Tennan attacked him on the Earth. I think...well, you've got to tell her, I guess, so just go for it and tell her. If she's not over you yet, she should be. It's old now and she needs to know it."

"I suppose so." Tenchi agreed. He sighed. "All right. I guess that's what I'm going to do, then. Are you sure you won't come with me to the Emperor, Ryoko-chan?"

"Why would he want to see me?" Ryoko asked simply. "No, thank you. But I'll be here waiting for you, when you return. And if he doesn't tear you into many little pieces, I'll find somewhere to spirit you away to. Somewhere less potentially scandalous than the middle of the Royal Palace, perhaps."

She fingered the ring that glittered on her finger, then smiled up at him mischievously. "After all, this is a symbol of our bond, isn't it?" She bantered playfully. "We have to keep that in mind."

She winked at him, then blurred and flickered out of the room and Tenchi sighed, getting to his feet.

"Sometimes she's impossible." He murmured. "Oh well. I guess that's my mind made up for me. I'm going to see Azusa-sama, and I'm going to hope he's in a good mood after his trip across space."

He rummaged through his clothing, selecting a fresh outfit and carefully donning it, adjusting the clips for the cape as he eyed his reflection in the mirror pool. At length he nodded his head, stepping back from the mirror and towards the door of his room as he gathered his courage.

"It's times like this that I wish I had Ryoko's confidence." He muttered. "Oh well. Here goes, I guess."

As he made his way out of the palace and across the courtyard that led to the Imperial quarters, many guards and knights on duty saluted him, bowing in deference to his royal status, and as he acknowledged each one, Tenchi was reminded once more of how highly in esteem the planet Jurai still held him.

"Which makes it all the more scary to go tackle the Emperor about this." He muttered. "It's not that I don't think he'll want me to marry Ryoko. He gave us his blessing before, in a sense...when he first gave Ryoko the space map for Yubisu and her past there. It's just...what if he really does want us to marry here? Can we resist that kind of pressure? I don't know. I haven't really tried to go against Imperial will too much since the first time I came to Jurai, and..."

"Tenchi!"

Ayeka's voice startled him in mid-sentence and he glanced up, cheeks blazing as she took in the look of amusement on her clever face.

"Well, Prince Tenchi, we haven't had much chance to see one another since you and the others came to Jurai." The Crown Princess said softly, extending her arm to him as hesitantly he took it. "I'm sorry that we haven't - with Uncle away, I've just been far too busy. I hope you don't consider me rude."

"No, not at all." Tenchi recovered himself, shaking his head. "In fact, I was just on my way to see your Uncle myself. I guess the Emperor always has things to do."

"Yes, that's very true." Ayeka agreed. "Is it very urgent, that you see Oji-sama now? Or can you spare some time to walk with an old friend first?"

"Honestly? I'd rather walk with you." Tenchi looked sheepish. "Nothing against Great Grandpa, but I always feel like I'm under intense scrutiny whenever I'm with him, and well, what I need to discuss with him can wait, for the time being."

"Something serious?" Ayeka sent him a concerned look. Tenchi shook his head.

"No." He said thoughtfully. "At least, well, nothing serious in a bad sense. Actually, Ayeka, I need to talk to you as well. If you don't mind."

"Well, that's what I want anyway." Ayeka inclined her head in a nod, eying him warmly. "Though why you came with Washu to Jurai, I don't know. I'm glad you did, however. It's always nice to have company and I was afraid it would be some time before we saw one another again."

"It might have been." Tenchi acknowledged. "Neither Ryoko nor I really wanted to fly this far again so soon. We had a bad encounter with pirates the last time we came back from Jurai. Ryoko was almost killed and well, it was pretty ugly. But Washu was keen to do research in your library and so here we are."

"I see." Ayeka frowned. "Those pirates are getting ever more brazen - but I'm surprised they'd waste their time on Ryoko. Or do they consider her a traitor?"

"I think they do, in some weird illogical pirate way." Tenchi agreed. "Either way, it wasn't a nice few days, while she was ill. We thought we might lose her and well..."

He faltered, biting his lip, and Ayeka frowned.

"And what?" She asked softly. "What's bothering you, Tenchi-sama? Because something is, and I know that look. Whatever it is, you don't think I want to hear it."

"I don't know if you do or not." Tenchi looked startled, and Ayeka smiled.

"I know you better than you think I do, don't I?" She said softly. "Tell me, Tenchi...whatever it is. I'm guessing that you and Ryoko both came all this way for some reason other than Washu's research - so whatever it is must be important. Right?"

"Right." Tenchi agreed. He eyed her doubtfully for a moment, then,

"Washu said it would be better if one or both of us told you face to face, and I volunteered." He admitted. "Ayeka, you know Ryoko and I have been close for a while now, don't you?"

"Ye-es..." Ayeka's brows drew together in a frown. "It's hardly something I could miss."

"Right." Tenchi pursed his lips, smiling awkwardly. "I guess not. Well, after the situation with the pirates, I suppose we both realised...well...that is to say..."

He faltered, groping for the right words, and a shadow touched Ayeka's pretty eyes.

"You are betrothed." She said softly. "That is what you have come to tell me, Tenchi, isn't it?"

"Yes." Tenchi admitted, relief flooding his features as he nodded his head.

"And you came all the way to Jurai to tell me this in person?"

"Washu thought I should. That it was...right." Tenchi shrugged. "I told her that you and I are friends and that's all we've ever been. But she seemed to think you deserved to hear about it from me and I guess she was right. Besides, I wanted to share it with you. I just...well, after some of the talks we've had in the past, I wasn't sure..."

He faltered, and Ayeka sighed, turning to glance across the landscape of Jurai. For a moment there was silence, then,

"You needn't trouble yourself on my account." She said finally. "I knew it would come, Lord Tenchi. Ever since you admitted to me your true feelings for Ryoko, I knew it would end up this way. It's quite all right."

"Really?" Tenchi eyed her keenly. "I'm glad about that. I didn't want things to be funny between us, Ayeka. You're one of the dearest people to me in the whole universe, you know that."

"Yes, I do." Ayeka sent him an affectionate smile. "And I am a married woman, so why should I bother if you want to make Ryoko the same? Really, Tenchi...you worry far too much sometimes. It's all quite all right."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure." Ayeka nodded her head firmly. "As I said, I expected it to come. I won't pretend that I don't have feelings still, or that I don't envy her, somewhat, in a small, distant way. But I am content with my life here now. And I want you to be happy, Tenchi-kun. You know that, I hope. If Ryoko is the right woman for you, well, mad as that seems, I can accept it. And be happy for you, too."

"Good." Tenchi grasped her hand, squeezing it tightly before releasing it. "That makes me feel much better."

"I'm happy to hear it." Ayeka said wryly. "Although, Tenchi, you have realised what it will mean? You have seen the whole picture and thought it through?"

"What do you mean?" Tenchi's brow furrowed in confusion.

"Well, that marrying Ryoko will mean that you will be, well, marrying Ryoko." Ayeka said frankly. "You'll be living with her for the rest of time, and that's a long time to be tied to someone. She'll blow up your house, eat your food, drink all your alcohol and pass out drunk on the living room floor. She'll sleep on the roof beams and up trees, drag you into trouble without a moment's warning and, most likely, tease you and play games until your head is spinning on your shoulders. Given all of those things, I should, perhaps, be questioning your sanity. I mean, living with Ryoko is one thing. But spending an entire eternity with her..."

She paused, shaking her head, and Tenchi laughed.

"Ayeka, you and Ryoko aren't the foes you used to be." He chided. Ayeka spread her hands.

"No, true, but that doesn't mean I'd choose to live with her long term if there was another alternative." She replied simply. "Can you really stand all of her peculiarities and vulgarities? I know there's a lot of love in you, Tenchi, but even Tsunami couldn't have given you that much patience. Could she?"

Tenchi looked amused.

"Evidently she did, because I don't mind any of those things all that much." He admitted. "I've sort of got used to most of them. It's hard to explain it, and maybe it does sound mad. I mean, she does do crazy things and I often don't know what to expect next. But one thing I do know, Ayeka, is that she's always there when I need her. And that's an important thing to me. Besides, she isn't a space pirate now. Things change. Maybe we've both grown up...I don't know."

"Perhaps, but you can't change people permanently, Tenchi-sama." Ayeka said seriously. "You can only learn to live with their quirks."

"I don't want to change her." Tenchi responded.

"Really?" Ayeka looked surprised, and Tenchi grinned.

"Really." He acknowledged. "There's a certain charm in having her just the way she is. Magic, mischief and all."

"Well, it's your funeral." Ayeka shrugged her shoulders. "You sure do like to make life difficult for yourself, Lord Tenchi."

"But not dull. Never that." Tenchi laughed. "Thank you for being so good about this, Ayeka. It is important to me, to have my friends accepting my choices. Not all of my Earth friends are wholly supportive of my inter-planetary relationship as it is - so it's nice to have support from my family. Such as it is."

"Such as it is." Ayeka looked sheepish. "And I suppose now you've broached the subject with me and found no resistance, doing so with my Uncle should be much easier. Shouldn't it?"

"Perhaps." Tenchi sent a rueful glance in the direction of the Imperial quarters, then shrugged his shoulders. "Or maybe I'll wait until he's settled back into his routine a bit more before I bother him."

Ayeka eyed him pensively for a moment, then,

"Tenchi, would you rather I told him for you?" She asked softly. Tenchi started, then shook his head.

"No...I need to do it myself, but thank you." He said with a smile. "I just need a little more time to figure out in my head what to say."

"Uncle hasn't stopped you seeing Ryoko yet - do you think he will now?"

"No, but his goodwill is so much more important where the Earth is concerned now, and I'm worried he'll want to make it a royal wedding." Tenchi admitted. "I remember your wedding and it was very beautiful, but I know for a fact that Ryoko really doesn't want to be married on Jurai. And me, I don't suppose I want all that fuss either. But I'm Azusa-heika's great grandson and he's Ryoko's great uncle. In light of that..."

"Oh, I shouldn't worry too much about it." Ayeka shook her head. "If you marry Ryoko, people here will have to address her as Princess, whether she likes it or not. After all, she will be the bride of the honoured Prince who vanquished Kagato - Uncle's direct descendant. Her own dubious connections to my Great Aunt Aiko might be dragged into the equation, too. I think there would be a lot of members of the court who would object to that, considering the girl's past history. Uncle will probably feel a wedding on the Earth is more diplomatically prudent."

"Do you think so?" Tenchi looked surprised. Ayeka nodded.

"Yes, I do." She agreed. "Although if he does try and push it with you, let me know. I'll make him see it differently."

She smiled wistfully.

"After all, every girl wants their wedding to be perfect." She added. "And even if, for Ryoko, that incorporates a drunken binge on some space station somewhere, well, I guess that'll have to do."

"Ayeka." Tenchi laughed, amusement flickering in his dark eyes. "Actually, Ryoko wants us to be married on the Earth. She wants a proper Japanese wedding, I think - although I had no idea she had even thought about it, until we spoke earlier on. She was so adamantly against marrying here, I wondered at it. Is that really true? That every girl thinks about their wedding?"

"Well, if Ryoko has, then I guess it must be." Ayeka glanced absently at her hands, clasping them together as they walked back in the direction of the main palace complex. "I confess I find it hard to imagine her in the role of bride...but I suppose stranger things have happened."

"Since Ryo Ohki crashed onto the Earth the first time, _much_ stranger things have happened to all of us." Tenchi pointed out. Ayeka laughed, nodding her head.

"Very true." She agreed.

"Ayeka, if Ryoko and I do...well, when we do...I mean, when we have a date set, you will come, won't you?" Tenchi reddened again, embarrassment in his expression as he faced his friend. The Princess hesitated for a moment, pursing her lips. Then, at length, she sighed.

"If I can get away, I would be honoured to attend such a special event." She said softly, though Tenchi saw reticence flickering in the depths of her ruby eyes. "And I know that Sasami would feel the same way. Have you spoken to her, yet? Does she know?"

"No. Not yet." Tenchi shook his head. "I wanted to tell you first - I didn't want you to hear it from someone else. After all, I owed you that much, considering all we've been through."

"Yes, I suppose so." A slight smile touched Ayeka's lips. "Thank you, Tenchi. I appreciate that."

"And I now feel a whole lot better about the whole thing." Tenchi laughed, scratching his head awkwardly as he did so. Ayeka raised an eyebrow, offering him a droll smile.

"Considering what you're marrying, you'll need all the good wishes that Jurai can give you." She said ironically. "Yes, Tenchi, you can put your mind at rest. I wish you every happiness for the future, even if I do think you insane. After all, married life has suited me very well. I'm sure...or at least, I hope...it will prove the same for you, when the time comes!"

------------

"Officer Mitsuki, please report."

The Commander sat back in his seat, eying his companion gravely as she stood before his desk, saluting him briskly before setting her file down in front of her.

"What have you discovered about Detective Makibi's office?"

"Honestly, sir, not a whole lot." Mitsuki frowned, biting down hard on her lip. "They've been over it a couple of times, and the only prints that are there are Kiyone's, Mihoshi's and - begging your pardon sir, but your own as well. Nothing that we'd expect not to be there, in fact."

"So Kiyone might yet have committed the crime before she left for Jurai?" The Commander asked. Mitsuki looked troubled.

"I don't know, sir." She said slowly. "You see, Kiyone's prints are all over her office, but they're not especially concentrated in any of the attacked areas. In fact, I think that all of her prints can be accounted for by normal office use. Whoever did ransack the place, it looks like they used gloves of some nature at the very least."

"And the security scanners? What have they recorded?"

"There is a lot of interference." Mitsuki sighed heavily. "Sections of the recording are missing because of it, but from what is there, nobody entered Detective Kiyone's office between your locking it and our re-opening it on your orders."

"Missing segments, huh?" The Commander pursed his lips. "A scrambler? Something like that?"

"I don't know, but the guys in the digital analysis lab said they've never seen anything like it." Mitsuki responded. "Sir, I don't think Kiyone ransacked her own office. I think...I think Mihoshi-san was right."

"Yes, maybe she was." The Commander rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "This is badly timed, Mitsuki. In a matter of days the Galaxy Police have an important commission and it can't be postponed. You know, I think, that we are providing escort for an important diplomatic envoy into Jurai's space? Nothing must be allowed to go wrong - they will lose all faith in us if they believe we have random officers dotting around the place ransacking other officers's offices."

"You really think anyone at Headquarters would do something like that, sir?" Mitsuki asked hesitantly. The Commander shrugged his shoulders.

"What else do we have to go on?" He asked helplessly. "All right, Mitsuki. Thank you for your report. I can see this will warrant further investigation, if we're to resolve it before the diplomatic ship arrives in our docking bay."

He reached into his drawer, pulling out a pass.

"Here. Take this and run down to the annexe." He added. "Summon the Elite officers who took Kiyone to Jurai - I wish to speak to them."

"Yes, sir." Mitsuki saluted, taking the pass card and sliding it into her pocket. "Although..."

"Although?" The Commander raised an eyebrow. Mitsuki bit her lip.

"When we were looking at that butchered video footage, the guys in the tech lab sent a message down for Agent Tsunetomo to come and look at it - he's a specialist in digital editing, and they wanted a second opinion, since it looked so odd."

"And...?"

"Nobody could find him anywhere." Mitsuki shrugged helplessly. "His ship is still in the docking bay, but it's locked and sealed from the outside and noone knows where he's gone."

"I see." The Commander's expression darkened. "That seems suspicious behaviour to me. All right, Mitsuki. Go and do as I said - find Tsunetomo if he's there, and his partner also. I'd like to speak to them both about Kiyone's trip to Jurai, and more, about what they might know regarding the ransacking of her office."


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

"Washu?"

Washu glanced up from her dusty pile of papers and books, squinting through the fuggy dim light of the library's chamber as she tried to make out her companion. She frowned, setting her reading aside as she recognised the speaker.

"Kiyone? What are you doing down here?" She asked softly. "I thought the door needed a genetic key to get in - how did you get past the Emperor's security?"

"It wasn't locked. Ayeka said you were down here, and I wanted to speak to you." Kiyone said simply, carefully manoeuvring herself between the heaps of documents as she came to her friend's side. "What are you doing, Washu? Redecorating the palace library? Ayeka said you were doing some kind of research, but your kind of research usually involves top speed databases. What's with all this?"

"Wider reading." Washu said ruefully, indicating for the detective to sit down. "So Ayeka left the door unlocked? Careless of her."

"I suppose she thought you'd want to get out at some point." Kiyone said astutely, and Washu grinned, glancing down at her hands.

"I'm not as good at teleportation as my daughter, but I still have the knack." She said with a shrug. "But still, I suppose she didn't think of that. The last time we spoke, my magic was very much exhausted, so she wouldn't know that it's still inside of me. And I guess I'm glad she didn't want to lock me in...but I'm not sure whether you should be here. We don't want you getting yourself into trouble while you're on discharge, do we?"

"I don't care." Kiyone said frankly, settling herself more comfortably in her seat as she glanced down at the scroll spread out on the table before them. "What kind of wider reading? I've never seen characters like that before. Is it Ancient Juraian or something?"

"You mean Old Era, and no." Washu shook her head. "This is older even than that."

She touched the edge of the manuscript gingerly.

"This is Kii."

"Kii?" Kiyone's brow creased as she squinted at the characters once more. "You mean your language - from Kihaku?"

"Yes, that's right."

"I didn't know the Kii wrote things down."

"The Priest's tribe kept records. Quite detailed ones, as it happened." Washu nodded. "This isn't a complete file by any means, and a lot of things are left open to assumption - you can only imagine they were passed down through word of mouth and they didn't need written explanation. But it's made interesting reading anyway. Sort of nice, to read my own language again."

"I don't know how you can. It looks like scribbles to me." Kiyone admitted, and Washu laughed.

"But you're looking at it from the wrong side." She said softly. "It doesn't read in the same direction as Common Galactic Tongue tends to, and it's a lot more flexible in terms of grammar. But enough about this...that isn't why you came to see me, is it? I imagine you wanted to talk about the little episode the other day. Am I correct?"

"Sort of. Actually, no...I wanted to not talk about it." Kiyone said, somewhat confusingly, and Washu raised an eyebrow.

"Excuse me?"

"I wanted to ask you not to turn me into some kind of scientific experiment because I had a momentary lapse the other day." Kiyone glanced at her hands. "I'm fine now. It was just a shock to see him and I wasn't expecting it. But I'm all right and I'd really rather you left it well alone. If you don't mind."

"And you came all the way to find me to tell me you don't need to talk about it? I see." Humour flickered in the depths of Washu's sharp green eyes, and Kiyone sighed.

"No, I didn't. I came for another reason." She said quietly. "You said you wanted to know why I was on Jurai. And having thought it over, I want to try and explain that to you. I've made a decision and I might need your help in figuring it all out."

"That sounds like a challenge." Washu said contemplatively. "Although here is probably not the best place to talk. I've found something of what I was looking for, anyway, and I'm more or less done here now. It's dusty and the light isn't so good - I think we could talk better elsewhere. Is that all right with you?"

"I suppose so." Kiyone looked surprised, but she nodded her head. Washu smiled.

"I'm guessing from the fact you came to me that this is going to involve computer technology of some nature, and I can handle that better outside of the library." She explained. "Nothing but dusty old books down here, but I brought a few essential things with me to Jurai, in case I needed them. They're set up in an old chamber at the bottom of the palace - Azusa let me use it once before for my dabbling, and I've commandeered it again to continue my research into the Kii magic as best I can. It seems like the perfect private place to have a heart to heart. Will you come with me?"

"Sure." Kiyone nodded her head, and Washu grinned at her impishly, grasping her around the wrists and blurring them both out of the study room. Kiyone let out a gasp as the world swam around her, closing her eyes against the dizzy spin of colours. When she opened them again they were in a spacious, high-ceilinged chamber at the bottom of the palace, and already Washu had begun to make herself at home, with various componants and bits of equipment glittering and flashing up against the far wall. She drew a deep breath into her lungs to calm herself down, putting a hand to her chest.

"You could have warned me that we were taking a short cut." She said darkly. "I guess there is nothing wrong with your magic now, after all."

"Well, I don't know about that. But short transfers are easy and it's good practice for me." Washu said flippantly, pulling up two chairs and dropping down into one, indicating for her companion to follow suit. "All right...so here we are. What's on your mind, Kiyone?"

"A lot of things." Kiyone frowned. "Washu, whatever state I was in the other day, I want you to know that I'm not crazy. Okay? I'm not having delusions and I'm not losing my wits."

"I never thought that you were." Washu said complacently. "I already told you what was wrong with you where Lord Tennan was concerned. It's up to you whether or not you listen - but at no point have I thought you were crazy."

"Well, good." Kiyone sighed. "Because what I'm going to tell you might sound it. Certainly everyone at Headquarters thinks so."

There was a bitter edge to her words and Washu raised an eyebrow.

"Headquarters?" She echoed. Kiyone nodded.

"Mihoshi is the only one who doesn't think so, and you can guess how much people listen to her ideas." She said heavily. "Listen, Washu, Mihoshi and I were sent on a routine rescue mission into the sector of space where Kihaku used to be. Right?"

"Right." Washu agreed slowly. "What of it?"

"Well, you know Kihaku better than anyone. Is it possible for, well, the soul of that world to exist outside the planet itself?"

"For what?" Washu stared, and Kiyone looked rueful.

"I know. I did warn you, but I can't think of any other explanation at present." She said with a sigh. "The craft we went to, well, the crew were all dead. But I spoke to one of them before we boarded, meaning that she was killed some time inbetween our brief contact and boarding. Her wound was fresh - it was still bleeding. So whatever killed her was probably still aboard the ship. Yet Mihoshi and I found nobody."

"You think Kihaku killed them?" Washu looked startled. Kiyone spread her hands.

"I don't know." She admitted. "But you did say it was a powerful spectral force, didn't you? Capable of bad things?"

"Yes, but Kiyone, it was entirely tied up in the existance of the planet." Washu shook her head. "When Kihaku exploded, that was the end of its spirit. If it hadn't been, Tokimi would not have lost her power and Seiryo Tennan would still be under the dark lure he was under when he attacked you."

"Let's not go there." Kiyone said frankly. "All right. So in your opinion, it's impossible for any part of it to have survived?"

"Yes, Kiyone. Completely impossible." Washu agreed.

"Okay. Then something else killed them." Kiyone ran fingers through her hair absently as she considered, and Washu could tell that her friend was deliberating over the various other options in her head. "This is all a lot more complicated than it sounds, you see. When we got back to Headquarters I had to hand the case over to the Elite. Honestly, I didn't mind. It was a bit unnerving, knowing something had been there but that you hadn't seen them. I thought that was the end of it...but then Yagami's drive room was vandalised."

"Yagami, huh?" Washu looked thoughtful. "After all my hard work to fix it?"

"I'm afraid so." Kiyone grimaced. "I...I rather freaked out when I found it. Whatever did it was still there, I'm sure of it - because I heard laughter. But I didn't see anyone, and the Commander thinks it was a delusion...or worse, a direct lie. He thinks I vandalised Yagami out of some post-traumatic stress haze, since, well, I did react badly to the whole business. Mihoshi opened her big mouth and told the chief all about what happened with Agent Tennan and that she thought I was unsettled...the end result was I was sent away here."

"I see." Washu pursed her lips, resting her chin in her hands. "You didn't see anyone aboard Yagami?"

"No."

"But you are sure something was there?"

"Yes. Absolutely certain, Washu."

"All right." Washu shrugged her shoulders, putting her hands behind her head as she tilted back on her chair. "Then that leaves only one possible explanation."

"Which is?"

"There was something there." Washu shrugged again. "If you say it was there, and you didn't hallucinate or imagine any of it, then it must have been there."

"I wish the Commander could look at things like that." Kiyone sighed. "The problem is that the security scanners didn't pick up anything. The only person to board Yagami was me. Hence why I'm suspect number one."

"Well, if you're fair to the Commander, that's pretty compelling." Washu said thoughtfully. "And he's not a genius, so he can't see his way around the obvious. However..."

She trailed off, eying her companion keenly.

"Of course, if you'd dealt with your demons sooner, he probably wouldn't have doubted your word." She added softly. "Whatever happened aboard Yagami, you _are _suffering from post traumatic stress. And you _are _having flashbacks to Seiryo-san's attack on you...that was clear enough from our encounter when you arrived. It's little wonder that he thinks the two things are related."

"Yeah, except they're not." Kiyone said darkly. "And I was handling the other thing just fine, if you want to know. I was doing my job and that was all right. The only reason that Yagami freaked me out so badly was that something made me remember...like it had gone through my mind and pulled it out deliberately to tease me. The attack happened in the drive room of Yagami...I guess my brain saw the parallels."

"Or something _made_ your brain see them." Washu's eyes narrowed. "Which would indicate a high level of psychic activity. High enough, perhaps, to conceal their existance from the scanner system as well. I have to admit, I'm fascinated."

"I'm glad someone's getting some pleasure out of this." Kiyone sighed.

"So how can I help you?" Washu asked. "You're off duty, aren't you? All your police equipment, Yagami, everything has been confiscated. I'm guessing you want to clear your name, but honestly, I think you could use the break to deal with the issues you do have. I believe you when you say you didn't vandalise Yagami." As Kiyone opened her mouth to protest. "But you can't pretend that Seiryo Tennan doesn't bother you, and that _is_ something you need to handle. Perhaps a sojourn away from work will do you good."

"It's not just about clearing my name." Kiyone shook her head, frustrated. "It's about those people...the ones who were murdered. And whatever happened on Yagami - they're connected. It's like whatever it was was looking for something. Something they thought was on my ship. I was half afraid it was me."

"That's illogical." Washu shook her head.

"Huh?" Kiyone stared. "How is it? Yagami is my ship."

"Yes, but you already said that they were there when you were." Washu shook her head. "If you're sure that this thing - whatever it was - followed you from the stranded ship, and that for whatever reason it wanted to kill you, it would have done it. It had the opportunity. No. If it is looking for something, Kiyone, it isn't looking for you. It's looking for something you have."

"Something I..." Kiyone echoed, her eyes widening in surprise. She hesitated, then fumbled in her pocket, pulling out the small black data recorder and setting it down on the desk between them. "Something like this?"

"I thought your stuff was confiscated?"

"That's blank, so it hardly matters if I still have it or not. I erased it after we returned to Headquarters...well, I had handed the file over and I didn't think it would be a good idea to tell the Commander I'd made a copy of the ship's memory using the dead woman's key pass."

"I think there's something about this ship you haven't told me, Kiyone." Washu eyed her keenly. "And it strikes me that whatever followed you aboard Yagami probably is looking for that black box, which means whatever it is you haven't told me is important."

Kiyone flushed red.

"I'm not supposed to...I mean...it's police policy." She began. Washu raised an eyebrow.

"And the police have sent you where, again?" She reminded her. Kiyone frowned.

"I know. You're right." She agreed with a weary sigh. "But if I do discuss this with you, please, don't mention it outside of these walls. I don't want to get either of us into trouble for interfering in something we shouldn't be."

"I'm intrigued, but all right." Washu nodded. "I promise. Go ahead."

"The woman I spoke to aboard the ship said that the craft was a military bug from Shitori, but actually it was a Seniwan spy ship." Kiyone said slowly. "Operating on some mission so top secret that so far noone seems to know what that mission was. But the fact they lied even to us about who they were means that it's extremely top secret. And so if people thought we were discussing it on a wide scale..."

"I see." Washu's face cleared. "Seniwa isn't a power you want to upset."

"Right." Kiyone agreed.

"But who knows you copied the ship's data drive?" Washu asked. "I mean, you said the crew of the ship - what was it called? - were all killed. Right?"

"The Tsubasa, and yes." Kiyone agreed. "All of them. There was noone with me when I duplicated the ship's files. Just the dead woman I spoke to over the intercom and believe me, she was definitely dead. Her head was cut almost clean off."

She met Washu's gaze, paling as she realised the implication of her words.

"You think that whatever killed them was there with me, don't you?" She whispered. "In the room...watching me."

"Yes." Washu agreed thoughtfully. "But I don't suppose they realised the significance of what you were copying until sometime afterwards - they must have overheard a conversation later on that led them to believe what you had acquired was important - otherwise they would have taken their chance to stop you then and there. I think that you held another purpose for them then - and so they didn't kill you. You said they boarded Yagami...I suppose that with the Tsubasa a dead ship, you were their transport."

"I reasoned that out for myself." Kiyone shivered involuntarily. "But I never imagined that the...the thing was watching me while I was in the drive room of the ship. You mean that if I'd been a few moments earlier, I might have saved that poor woman's life?"

"Maybe, but she's beyond your help now and you mustn't dwell on it." Washu said matter-of-factly. "Right now all that can be done for those people is to bring to heel whoever decided it was time to turn the lights out."

She scooped up the small black box, eying it carefully, then, "You erased the files on this before you left?"

"Yes." Kiyone sighed. "I shouldn't have done. But I didn't want to get into trouble for having Seniwan state secrets or something like that."

"I highly doubt that this involves Seniwan state secrets." Washu said acidly. "Seniwa is nowhere near Kihaku and none of the planets in that solar system have any political connections to any of the Seniwan Daimyo families. Some are independant and others belong to Jurai or Juraian holdings in some respect. No...whatever this was, I imagine it was something much bigger than Seniwan pride at stake."

"There are a lot of Seniwan officers in the Galaxy Police Elite Force." Kiyone remembered. "I suppose that might explain it. But it was a Seniwan ship, Washu. Mihoshi said as much - she said her father had one once, and he used to work for the Elite Force, before he retired."

"Mihoshi?" Washu looked startled. "I didn't realise she was Seniwan."

"Yes." Kiyone nodded. "Her people are fairly wealthy, actually. The Kuramitsu family have a lot of influence on Seniwa."

"That does explain why Mihoshi is so far advanced in the Galaxy Police, poor girl." Washu reflected. "She does try, but she really isn't cut out for it all."

"Yeah, I know." Kiyone pursed her lips. "But she does take it very seriously."

"So Mihoshi is a Daimyo's daughter? Is that right?"

"Something like that." Kiyone nodded. "I've only visited their estate and met her family a few times, but they have a lot of land. You wouldn't know it from Mihoshi - she's the most indiscriminate person in the galaxy when it comes to making friends - but yes, I think they're one of the big families on Seniwa. That was my impression, anyway - and they have a long tradition in the Galaxy Police. Her Father wasn't the first one to be enrolled there. Her brother attended the Academy also, but wound up doing some kind of missionary work somewhere and many of her ancestors have been involved somewhere along the line. It's why I took her seriously, when she mentioned the ship."

"Yes, I imagine she would know something like that." Washu rubbed her chin. "Well, then there's only one thing to be done, isn't there? I mean, if you really think something dark and nasty is out there that might cause a threat to innocent people."

"I don't think it, I know it." Kiyone said flatly. "And what do you mean, one thing?"

Washu tapped the black box.

"I have to retrieve the files from this and see if we can crack them." She said simply.

"But I wiped them!"

"Computers don't actually erase file data, though." Washu said with a careless shrug. "When you hit the delete button, the machine just re-assigns the space to be re-used at a later date. And since you've taken no cases since this happened, I imagine you haven't re-used your data recorder since that visit to the Tsubasa. Am I right?"

"Yes." Kiyone looked startled. "You mean it is all on there still, after all?"

"I imagine so." Washu sent her an impish smile, getting to her feet and walking across the chamber towards a whirring, clicking computer system in the far corner. Pressing the box into one of the adapters, she keyed in a sequence of numbers and immediately a list of files flashed up on the screen. Kiyone came to stand beside her friend, gazing at them in clear amazement.

"They _are_ still there!"

"I told you they would be." Washu nodded. "Opening them, though...that might be more difficult. Look."

She hit another few keys, and an access denied screen popped up. Frowning, Washu typed in a long sequence of numbers and the Access Denied screen faded and exploded into fragments, revealing the front page of a document. Kiyone squinted at it, shaking her head.

"What on earth?"

"That isn't what you found aboard the ship, huh?"

"I only got as far as a main computer database page. A list of files, nothing else." Kiyone shook her head. "What is that? Is it in some weird language...or what?"

"Encrypted. In a big way." Washu shook her head. "Someone doesn't want just anyone reading the information that's sealed inside."

"Can you crack it?"

"Maybe." Washu bit her lip. "But I suspect it will take me some time. I speak a lot of languages, Kiyone, but tracking down which one this belongs to might take some time. I would have to construct a computer program to unlock the text and it might take a while for me to do it. At a glance it doesn't _look_ like Seniwan - but I can't be totally sure."

"How long is a while?" Kiyone glanced at her apprehensively, and Washu shrugged.

"One, maybe two weeks." She admitted. "I've never seen encryption like this before and I'm as much at a loss as you are."

"_Two weeks_?" Kiyone's eyes widened. "But if I'm right - if we're right about this thing, other people could be hurt. _Mihoshi_ could be hurt!"

"Yes, I agree." Washu drummed her fingers absently on the desk. "But that's the best I can offer. Aside from the fact I'm here to help my sister and that is still foremost in my mind, I really haven't anything with me that might unlock the code quicker. I didn't think I would need it - and while I've hacked through Galaxy Police and Science Academy files before, this doesn't look like the same kind of encoding at all."

"So what do you suggest we do?" Kiyone asked helplessly. Washu sent her a thoughtful glance, then,

"I have one idea." She admitted. "Which you won't like, but which might be a quicker solution to the problem."

"Go on." Kiyone's eyes narrowed. "What idea?"

"There is an Elite Forces Agent here on Jurai...or at least, a former one." Washu said quietly. "Who would have undergone rigorous encryption training and who is probably extremely familiar with forms of encoding. Much more so than me."

Kiyone swallowed hard, and Washu could tell her friend had read her meaning. The Detective shook her head.

"No, Washu." She said unsteadily. "Not Seiryo Tennan. I...I can't."

"I could speak to him for you." Washu offered. "I wasn't suggesting pushing the two of you together. In truth, it might hurt him as much as you if I was to do so - he's been through a lot of things too, since Tokimi's magic was pulled out of him. But if you really want this unlocked at any speed, I think he's the one to ask. He might have resigned from the force, but you've told me yourself that he had one hell of a reputation when he was in uniform. He must know something we don't about unlocking top secret files. He might even know the encryption key that's been used here."

"But..." Kiyone bit her lip, and Washu eyed her gently.

"Kiyone, it's up to you." She said softly. "I won't make you. It was just an idea."

Kiyone's brows knitted together, and she shook her head.

"Discharged or not, protecting people is my job." She said quietly. "And if that means involving...involving _him_, well, okay. But I don't want to speak to him, Washu. Ask him, if you must. If it will help, we have to try every avenue of investigation we can. I won't pretend I'm happy about the idea, but I see the point in what you're saying. And well, this is my responsibility."

"Good girl." Washu offered her a smile. "I'll speak to him the first chance I get."

-------

Another morning at Headquarters.

Mihoshi glanced at her reflection in the mirror, absently brushing her hair out across her shoulders as she wondered how her partner was getting on on planet Jurai.

"I hope she's getting plenty of rest. I want her back." She murmured with a sigh, fumbling in the drawer of her cabinet for her hair-tie and sending accessories flying across her small cabin as she did so. She frowned, pulling the tie haphazardly into her thick blond curls to keep it out of her face, then dropping down onto her hands and knees as she ferretted around for the scattered odds and ends.

"What a way to start the day." She scolded herself. "This would never have happened if Kiyone was here."

"Detective Mihoshi?"

The door of the chamber swung back to reveal Mitsuki and Mihoshi started, letting out a yell as the carefully gathered accessories flew out of her hands once more. Her hairbrush glanced off Mitsuki's shoulder and the officer raised an eyebrow as Mihoshi scrambled to her feet, sending her colleague a rueful smile.

"Gee, I'm sorry, Mitsuki. You made me jump." She said contritely. "I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"No, but I suppose there's room in this life for a few more miracles." Mitsuki said with a sigh. "Mihoshi, your knees...your uniform is covered in dust!"

"Dust?" Mihoshi glanced down at herself, exclaiming at the whiteish patches that marked her trousers. She reached down to dust it off, shrugging her shoulders.

"I didn't realise." She said unecessarily. "Is something wrong, Mitsuki? Why are you here?"

"The Commander sent me to speak to you." Mitsuki replied, in tones that clearly indicated she'd rather be cleaning the latrines. Mihoshi's blue eyes opened wide with surprise.

"To me?"

"Yes. You." Mitsuki frowned, reaching across to grab her colleague by the arm and pulling her out into the hallway, kicking Mihoshi's door shut behind her. "So come on, will you? To my office - and don't you dare touch anything when we're there, all right? I've seen what you've done to Kiyone's belongings over the years and she might put up with it, but I'm not Kiyone. So I won't. Got it?"

"But Mitsuki, what about breakfast?" Mihoshi protested. "And I haven't finished doing my hair!"

"Trust me, your hair looks the same before and after you brush it." Mitsuki snapped. "And this is more important than your stomach. Listen to me...this is about Kiyone."

"Kiyone?" Mihoshi stopped dead in her tracks, almost causing Mitsuki to fall headlong at the unexpected halt. "But why? I mean, she's not even here. She can't be in trouble for something if she isn't here!"

"She could...but that's not what I mean." Mitsuki shook her head. "It's about her office and the way it was vandalised. You seemed pretty sure that Kiyone wouldn't do something like that. The Commander wanted me to ask you if you could think of anyone who would do it. After all, you probably know Kiyone better than any of us."

"On purpose?" Mihoshi frowned. "No. I mean, I've accidentally knocked things over before, but Mitsuki, I don't think anyone here is nasty enough to want to hurt Kiyone's stuff. And I mean, well, Kiyone doesn't exactly have enemies. She's good at her job and everyone likes her a whole lot. Why would someone attack her?"

"That doesn't make sense with what you said the other day." Mitsuki objected. "Will you get a move on? We're not going to talk about this in the corridor, where anyone can hear us!"

"Oh, sorry." Mihoshi looked sheepish, obediently falling into step with her impatient companion. "And I don't know what you mean. You asked me if I thought anyone could have done this to Kiyone's office. And I said no...noone here hates her that much."

"So in that case, who wrecked her office?" Mitsuki was fast losing patience, and Mihoshi sighed, shaking her head slowly.

"I told you. The invisible people did it." She said frankly, in tones that implied that the solution was obvious. "Like Kiyone said. That's who."

"Mihoshi, will you please return to the world of the sane and focus for a moment?" Mitsuki bristled. "There are no invisible people. All right? No invisible people! You and Kiyone went on a mission and there were dead people...fine. But there was no killer there. And there was no mysterious attacker aboard Yagami...or in Kiyone's office. Will you get that straight in your head?"

"But Kiyone said..."

"I don't care what Kiyone said!" Mitsuki exploded, causing Mihoshi to stare at her in surprise and consternation. "Kiyone's been discharged because she's suffering from mental stress and quite obviously she's having delusions, too. You shouldn't listen to her, when she says something that sounds illogical and crazy!"

"Kiyone is my friend and I believe her." Mihoshi folded her arms across her chest. "And she's a better detective than you are, so she probably knows what she's talking about, too."

"Mihoshi!" Mitsuki clenched her fists. "Right. That's it. Shut up. This is a waste of time anyway. Just get into my office and sit down, will you? We're going to go back to basics and you're going to answer my questions with yes or no, because I've had enough of your crazy theorising. If you ask me, _you_ should have been discharged from the force a long time ago - no wonder poor Kiyone is losing her wits. Being saddled with a partner like you for the best part of the last few years is enough to drive anyone over the edge."

She swiped her pass across the lock for her door, keying in the override as with a hiss the partition slid back. She froze, letting out a gasp and as Mihoshi stepped closer, she saw what had made her companion falter. Her eyes big with alarm, she shook her head slowly, swallowing against the rising bile in her throat.

"What did you do, Mitsuki?" She whispered. Mitsuki turned an ashen face on her companion, her earlier annoyance forgotten as she shook her head.

"I didn't...they weren't..." She faltered. "Mihoshi, what is going on?"

Mihoshi's eyes darted back to the inside of the office, forcing herself to remain calm as her gaze flitted over the room's two silent occupants. In the centre of Mitsuki's perfectly neat bureau, the still forms of two of the Galaxy Police's most prestigious Elite lay on the floor, blood pooling around them. As Mitsuki stepped dazedly forward, Mihoshi could see that both men had had their throats slashed, but other wounds across their body and damage to their clothing suggested that they had put up a fight. As she looked at them, something else flitted into her brain.

"These are the men who took Kiyone to Jurai." She whispered in horror. "But what...what's happened to Kiyone?"

"Kiyone is on Jurai." Mitsuki seemed to rally herself, bending at the side of the nearest officer as she touched the cooling skin for a pulse. "The Commander has had communication with the Crown Princess Ayeka to confirm her arrival there. But you're right, Mihoshi. This is Agent Tsunetomo and Agent Hirayama. And they've been dead a while, by the looks of it. Agent Tsunetomo at the very least...his body is stone cold."

She bit her lip, her hand shaking as she repeated the pulse test on the second man. "I don't know about Hirayama-san. But most of the blood seems to have...come from him. I guess he fought harder...maybe Tsunetomo was taken by surprise and Hirayama had a little more warning. He looks more...more roughed up somehow."

"What are we going to do?" Mihoshi demanded. "There are dead people in your office, Mitsuki! Just like...just like on board the Tsubasa!"

"Yes." Mitsuki got to her feet, nodding grimly. "Just like on the Tsubasa."

"I told you there were invisible people." Mihoshi whispered. "How else could they kill people in your office and you not know about it?"

"I haven't been in here for a day or two." Mitsuki admitted. "Too busy working on Kiyone's situation. I've spent most of my time in the digital lab. But...we couldn't find...find Agent Tsunetomo then and I guess this is...is why."

She swallowed, then grabbed her companion by the arm, pulling her out of the room as she slammed the door shut behind them. Carefully she re-set the lock, then met the startled detective's gaze.

"We need to speak to the Commander." She said softly. "And Mihoshi, maybe you should tell him everything Kiyone told you about these...invisible people."


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

"You seem distracted."

Ayeka stepped up onto the dais of the main Council chamber, carefully adjusting her cape so that it fell more naturally around her shoulders. She frowned, biting down on her lip at the sound of her husband's voice, and the gentle touch of his hand on her shoulder made her turn to meet his gaze.

"Ayeka? I spoke to you. Are you all right?" Takeru's dark eyes were rich with concern, and Ayeka sighed, nodding her head.

"I'm fine. Just tired." She said vaguely. "Now Uncle is back, the pressure is off me a little bit, but it's put me in mind of how it's going to be, when I'm Queen. I don't like the idea much, Takeru. It's sinking in just what's expected of me. My whole life, governed. Everything in it...governed."

She sighed again, dropping down onto the ornate throne that stood to the Emperor's left, a pained expression on her face.

"Maybe Tenchi had the right idea, when he ran back to the Earth and abdicated all duties here." She added absently. "I should have done the same. At least then I'd be able to choose my own life, instead of being at the beck and call of everyone else."

"Ayeka?" Takeru frowned, staring at her in bewilderment. "What brought this on? You've handled everything just fine over your Uncle's absence and as you say, now he's back on Jurai. What's wrong? This isn't like you - I haven't heard you speak like this before."

"Then maybe you haven't listened very clearly." Ayeka rubbed her temples. "The longer it goes on, the closer I become to being everyone else's property instead of my own. That's all."

"I don't understand." Takeru shook his head, taking his own seat and slipping his hand over hers, but she drew it away, folding it in her lap as she lowered her gaze from his. "Ayeka, look at me, please! Has something happened? Something's wrong - I know that face. Tell me, please? You said you trusted me - so do so!"

"Oh, Takeru." Ayeka did as she was bidden, anguish lurking in the depths of her ruby eyes. "I can't. I don't want to hurt you...or...or anyone. I just want...I suppose I want to go back to a time where I was free to make my own decisions. That's all."

Takeru's eyes clouded and he frowned, pursing his lips.

"This change in your behaviour has something to do with Lord Tenchi's arrival on Jurai, hasn't it?" He asked quietly, and Ayeka stared at him, stricken. Takeru nodded, his lips thinning slightly as he digested her reaction.

"I thought so." he murmured. "He always seems to have an adverse effect on you, my Lady."

"Tenchi is nothing to do with it." Ayeka objected, but Takeru shook his head, gripping Ayeka by the hands and pulling her to her feet.

"Look at me when you say that. And mean it." He said firmly, and Ayeka was aware of the strange look in his dark eyes. "Because I have a lot of patience, Ayeka-sama, I really do. And I understand that our alliance was arranged by our fathers. But I won't be lied to. I deserve more respect than that, as your husband and your consort. Perhaps it wasn't a match you chose and maybe there are times you regret making it. But at least do me the courtesy of telling me the truth."

"Takeru..." Ayeka bit her lip. "It's not you. It really isn't. And I suppose it isn't him really, either. I just...I feel so trapped lately. That's all. And seeing Tenchi and Ryoko and Washu come here, following their own ends...pursuing their own futures...it got to me a bit. I don't have that freedom of choice. My future is mapped."

"Yes, I suppose it is." Takeru agreed softly. "Including your partnership with me."

"I didn't mean it that way!"

"I know, but it's true all the same." Takeru cupped her chin in his hands and Ayeka's heart ached at the hurt that flickered in the depths of his eyes. "Ayeka, I love you more than I have ever loved any woman. That's the truth, and how it's been since before we even exchanged vows. But..."

"I'm sorry." Ayeka dropped her gaze. "I always manage to hurt you, don't I?"

"You are still in love with the Prince, aren't you?"

"I wish I knew what I was." Ayeka admitted, glancing at her hands and running a finger absently over her ornate rings of state as she did so. "He told me he and Ryoko are to be married, Takeru. And I am happy for them - I am. I just..."

"Wish it were a different way?" Takeru asked quietly. Ayeka bit her lip, and Takeru smiled humourlessly.

"I'd rather you said it." He reproached her. "Not saying it makes it all the worse for me."

"I suppose part of me does wish it." Ayeka admitted uneasily. "But Takeru, that doesn't mean I don't care about you. Please, try to understand that. Whatever I feel - _felt_ for Tenchi, that's in the past and it's a part of a life that's long since gone now. It's over. I've known that since before he took up with Ryoko. The shock of their engagement hit me for six a little bit, but I did know one day it would come. Tenchi is too honourable - too _Juraian_ - not to mould their relationship into something more formal in the long run, whatever Ryoko's sentiments in the matter. So I knew. But...with everything else that's been going on..."

She hesitated, then,

"I feel like I'm losing people." She whispered.

"Losing...people?" Takeru stared. "What do you mean, losing people?"

"Uncle has been so far away, and I didn't realise how many things he holds in his hands when he's here." Ayeka twisted her fingers together. "Sasami is always off with Lady Suki these days and while I don't begrudge her the friendship, I...I suppose I am a little envious. And Tenchi is to marry Ryoko and they will both be gone so far away - to a place where I will seldom be able to visit them, even if I should want to see their happy future together. Just...people, Takeru. People I care about."

"I see." Takeru rubbed his chin. "And I don't factor in this equation at all, then? I thought that we were closer than that, these days. After all, you did say that if you were tempted to flee Jurai, you would at least take me with you."

"And I would." Ayeka hesitated, then squeezed his hand tightly. "Takeru, I always hurt you and I'm sorry. You're the one constant I have these days and I wouldn't be without you. That's the truth. I'm sorry I put you through so much - I really am. I know it can't be easy, loving someone who isn't sure about her own heart yet. I've been in that position and I know how much it hurts. But I am...I am trying to let go. And..."

"Shh." Takeru put his finger to her lips, shaking his head. "I don't need to hear you repeat promises that right now you can't keep."

"Takeru..."

"No." Takeru shook his head. "You are my wife and I am your husband. That is all that matters for the time being."

He hesitated, then offered her a smile.

"Maybe it will be better for you when Lord Tenchi does take Lady Ryoko as his bride." He mused. "Then, at least, you know that door is closed."

"It's already closed!"

"Is it?"

"I would never be unfaithful to you, Takeru!"

"No, not actually." Takeru shook his head. "But there's no reign over your thoughts or dreams, Ayeka-chan. And I'm more astute than you think. There are many things we do as a married couple and Prince and Princess of Jurai. But there are other things that we do not...and I know that not all of those battles can be won by formalising our connection before Jurai's court."

Ayeka looked troubled, her cheeks flushing pink as she understood the implication of his words.

"I know." She admitted. "And if I don't learn to let go, eventually it will drive a wedge between us, won't it? The friendship and the bond we share now - it will try it to extremes from which it will never recover."

"That is my fear too, hime-sama." Takeru agreed quietly. Ayeka stared at him.

"You're never so formal with me as that!"

"Perhaps not. But sometimes I feel more like you're a stranger than my wife, and it seems appropriate."

Ayeka sank back down into her chair, burying her head in her hands.

"I know. I'm sorry. I will try harder not to hurt you." She said sadly. "And it's not just words, Takeru - I do mean it. Perhaps you're right - Tenchi and Ryoko's marriage might be what I need to sever those thoughts from my mind. Either way, it's not fair on you. I have a good husband - a better one than I deserve - and I will not keep putting him in such awkward situations."

"Sometimes the words Seiryo threw at me on the Earth six months ago still haunt me." Takeru admitted. "When he said that I loved a woman who would never love me in return. And I hope that someday he will be proven wrong. But I fear that he will not. That he truly saw then how our future will be - an act played out for the court but a truly loveless match."

"That isn't what I want." Ayeka raised her gaze to his. "And I'd rather die than let a prediction of Seiryo Tennan's come true. He had no business speaking that way anyhow."

"Perhaps not, but all the same, it troubles me." Takeru spread his hands. "I told you - these things are very trying for a husband."

"Yes. I know." Ayeka pursed her lips. She offered him a sad smile. "So I have to make my choice, then? To sever my connection with Tenchi completely, in order that I shouldn't hurt you any more than I already have?"

"I don't want you to stop being friends with the Prince, Ayeka-sama. Lord knows he's done nothing to offend me in the time that I've known him." Takeru shook his head. "Despite all of this, I find him pleasant company and someone who I would wish to know better, in other circumstances."

"But whether I can be friends with him and not love him, that's the question." Ayeka reflected. "Still, I must try. And so I will. And you must help me, Takeru."

"In any way I can."

"One way, at least." Ayeka sighed. "At some point I must allow you admittance to my chambers, and as yet I have not done so. Perhaps I should. Perhaps that would help."

"No." Takeru shook his head. "I am not that kind of man, Ayeka. I will come there only when you are ready to admit me. Not because you feel pressured into doing so. I don't want your love by force."

Ayeka offered him a tender smile.

"You are too good to me." She said softly. "Father did know what he was doing, when he chose you to be my consort. He did, Takeru. And I do believe that. I just need a little more time to put everything into perspective, that's all. Can you give me that?"

"I can and I will, so long as you understand that I'm only a man and that I can't help but feel jealous or uncomfortable sometimes, when things occur." Takeru said gravely. Ayeka nodded.

"I understand, Takeru-chan." She said soberly. "And I will remember. Truly. I will."

"Ayeka! Takeru! You're here early this afternoon."

Before Takeru could respond, the Emperor of Jurai swept into the Council chamber, casting both Princess and Prince Consort a warm smile as he hurried up the steps to join them. "Good - I'm glad that you are. Ayeka, I've finished reviewing the notes from the dispute sessions you oversaw and I'm pleased to see you've managed to put Lord Takaya and Lord Hirata neatly in their proper places without sacrificing any Crown land to pacify them. They can be a tricky pair to handle, so I'm proud of how you dealt with that."

"Thank you, Uncle." Ayeka offered him a surprised smile, blushing at the unexpected praise. "They were...difficult to negotiate with, but in the end we found a settlement that suited everyone."

"I am thankful that not all our noble families seek to carry their private disputes into Jurai's courtroom." Azusa said fervently. He offered Takeru a smile. "Speaking of which, I trust Lord Tennan has paid his duty regarding the Unko?"

"Yes, sir." Takeru bowed his head. "On time, as usual...and in person."

"Good." Azusa rubbed his beard, looking pleased. "I'm glad to see that my absence didn't cause civil riot. I almost wonder if I'm still needed, with such a capable deputy to leave in my stead."

"Uncle, believe me, I'd much rather you were here." Ayeka said wryly. "Really. I'm not ready to play Empress yet."

"Well, I'm proud of you anyhow." Azusa told her. "Is there anything more you need to report? No other business that seems pertinent? I know you granted entry to Detective Makibi...and that my great grandson and his posse have also arrived - though I haven't been fortunate enough to speak with any of them yet."

"Is it a problem that I allowed Kiyone to come here, Uncle?" Ayeka looked anxious, and Azusa shook his head.

"Jurai's borders are always open to friends, and the Detective has done much in the service of Jurai over the years." He said seriously. "She is most welcome - and Prince Tenchi also."

"I understand that Prince Tenchi has brought news with him to Jurai." Takeru said softly, and Ayeka sent him a horrified look.

"Takeru..."

"News?" Azusa looked startled. "Of what nature?"

"Of a connective nature I believe, sir." Takeru smiled. "With Lady Ryoko - or so my wife has been telling me."

"Takeru, you weren't supposed to tell Uncle that." Ayeka groaned, burying her head in her hands once more, and Takeru looked startled.

"Why not? Should the Emperor not know about it?"

"No...I mean, yes, but Tenchi wanted to...I mean he thought it would be better if..." Ayeka faltered, and Azusa laughed.

"I see." He said, amused. "So my great grandson has at last decided to wed his jezebel, is that so?"

"Yes." Ayeka admitted unwillingly. "But he wanted to tell you himself, Uncle. He thought you'd take it better if he did, and I promised him I wouldn't."

"I'm sorry." Takeru looked contrite. "I didn't realise it was that way."

"It's quite all right." Azusa dismissed it with a flick of his fingers. "I'll let Prince Tenchi come and bring his news when he is ready, and I will act as though I had no idea. Although it pleases me to see that he's at last thinking in such a way. It's all very well, having Princes of Jurai living on distant planets, but eyebrows do become raised when one is living unmarried with a former space pirate...even one descended from our own royal house."

"I told him that you'd feel that way." Ayeka said slowly. "That you'd not mind, I mean."

"Not at all. I've long since been resigned to their match, and after all they've done for this planet, I don't suppose I can begrudge it them, either." Azusa shook his head. "Takeru, stop looking so guilty. I won't betray your indiscretion to the boy, when he comes to see me. I give you my word."

"Thank you, sir." Takeru bit his lip. "I didn't mean to speak out of turn."

"Well, it won't matter at all, so you needn't worry." Azusa settled himself in his throne, smoothing out his cape as he made himself comfortable. "And changing the subject, there is one further thing that you should both be aware of, before the Council arrive. You know that we are expecting a diplomatic envoy from one of our outpost planets in the next few days? Negotiations have been under way for some time about their political status, and they're sending a group of people to treat with us on various terms. I believe I mentioned it before I left?"

"Yes, I think you did." Ayeka nodded her head. "What about it?"

"They were scheduled to pick up an escort at the Galaxy Police Headquarters, but I've had word from the officials there that the envoy might meet with a slight delay. Apparently there has been a technical hitch of some nature at Headquarters and it's meant a shortness of staffing."

"That's unlike the Galaxy Police." Takeru frowned. Ayeka shrugged her shoulders.

"Perhaps they're missing Seiryo Tennan." She said acidly. "Maybe we could send him back, Uncle."

"Ayeka." Azusa eyed his niece reprovingly, and Ayeka reddened, looking sheepish.

"I'm sorry." She said contritely. "But I do not like that man, Uncle. And I do not like him being here, so near to Takeru in an environment where he could easily launch a second attempt on my husband's life."

"I think the important thing is that he has not done so, in the six months since his hearing ended." Azusa said lightly. "You must learn when to forgive and when not to, my child. I cannot punish a man indefinitely for deeds that are past - if I did, I would only create resentment in that man."

"Seiryo Tennan has enough resentment for ten men already." Ayeka murmured, and Azusa smiled, shaking his head.

"Perhaps he does. But that he doesn't exhibit his resentment openly or in a manner that threatens the government of Jurai, that is my concern." He said softly. "His private affairs are not mine to intrude into. I only care about how well he does his duty in helping me govern Jurai. If I spent too much of my time focusing on whether I liked or disliked the representatives that attended Council sessions, I'd probably lose sight of that overall objective."

"I suppose so." Ayeka looked pensive. "Takeru said something similar to me about Lord Hirata and Lord Takaya. I'd just rather work with people whose company I can stand, that's all. Maybe I'm too idealistic."

"Maybe, but that will change with experience." Azusa's eyes twinkled. "And now, my dear, we must stop this delving into the hearts of those who surround us. The session will soon start and we have much to discuss - for the time being, Jurai's politics are top of all of our agendas, and nothing else should be allowed to intervene."

---------

"Two murders, no witnesses, no evidence at the scene."

The commander dropped the file down on his desk, a hopeless expression flickering across his face as he reviewed the situation. "In less than twenty four hours we have to supply escort officers to guide the envoy ship through Jurai space, as political neutrality. And we've two of our top men lying dead in the Police hospital morgue without even the faintest idea what we're dealing with."

He bit his lip, his gaze flitting between the two women that sat in front of him. They could not be more different, he realised absently, as to the right, Mitsuki sat alert and attentive to everything he said, and Mihoshi, to the left, was busy trying to get a stray speck of thread from the cuff of her uniform. He sighed, shaking his head slowly as he felt the beginnings of a migraine cross his senses.

"Detective Kuramitsu, are you listening to me?" He said softly. Mihoshi started, gazing up at him with big blue eyes.

"Yes sir? Is something wrong?" She asked.

"Mihoshi, tell me you heard what I just said." The Chief's lips thinned, and Mihoshi offered him a smile.

"Yes, sir. Of course I did, sir."

"Could you repeat it, please? Just so I can be sure you absorbed it?"

"Two murders no witnesses no evidence at the scene in less than twenty four hours we have to find escort people for the envoy ship as political thingummy and two men are dead in the hospital morgue and we don't know why and Detective Kuramitsu are you listening to me?"

Mihoshi drew a deep breath of air into her lungs, eying her commander triumphantly. "Did I miss anything out?"

"Mihoshi..." The Commander rubbed his temples. "Never mind. Forget it. Mitsuki, tell me again what you both found when you opened the door of your office. Since two Elite were involved, they want to know exactly what you saw...I think they're wanting to look into it directly themselves, and so try and remember as much as you possibly can."

"There's not much we didn't already tell you." Mitsuki frowned. "They were dead and it looked like they had been for a while. Both of them had slashed throats. Both of them had signs of a struggle...although Hirayama-san more so. I think they'd been dead a while - or at least, Tsunetomo had, because we searched and searched for him to look at the tape of Kiyone's office and we couldn't find him. I didn't use my office while all of that was going on, so...I guess it's possible he was there all the time."

She shivered.

"Waiting for me to find them."

"You know, the people on board the Tsubasa had their throats cut just like that." Mihoshi said absently, kicking her legs idly against the leg of the commander's desk as she did so. "Isn't that a funny coincidence?"

"It might not be a coincidence, Detective." The Commander said gravely. "That's one of the things we want to ascertain. But why murder two esteemed elite agents? For something they saw? Something they knew? I don't understand it. And why in your office, Mitsuki? You had no connections with either of them, did you?"

"No sir. Barely knew either of them." Mitsuki shook her head.

"Mihoshi, were you acquainted with Agent Tsunetomo or Agent Hirayama at all?"

"No, sir." Mihoshi shook her head, blond curls bobbing around her face as she did so. "I don't like the Elite officers very much."

"Why not?" Mitsuki stared at her companion in surprise. "The Elite are the best Galaxy Police officers there are. Why don't you like them? Most officers want to _be_ them."

"Because one of them tried to kill Kiyone." Mihoshi said matter-of-factly.

"They what?" Mitsuki stared, and the Commander shook his head.

"I don't think that's relevant now, Mihoshi." He said quietly. "Agent Tennan has resigned his post and is no longer a member of the Elite Force."

"Agent _Seiryo_ Tennan? Tried to _kill_ Kiyone?" Mitsuki's eyes could not get any bigger. "But why, sir? What did she _do_?"

"It's not important now." The Commander shook his head. "The unfortunate incident in question has been resolved and is no longer open for discussion."

"Maybe it is important, sir. Maybe one of the Elite is involved in this business, somehow." Mitsuki suggested. "I mean, if Agent Tennan really did attack Kiyone, then..."

"Agent Tennan acted under the influence of dark magic, if I am to believe Mihoshi and Kiyone's accounts." The Commander said quietly. "He is no longer afflicted and is no longer here."

"But the invisible people are." Mihoshi said earnestly. "And Kiyone said that Seiryo Tennan just appeared in Yagami, when he attacked her. Perhaps Mitsuki is right...maybe he came back, or maybe someone else has a spell on them now. Maybe it's making them invisible and causing them to kill people, just like Agent Tennan tried to kill Kiyone. Do you think it could have happened like that?"

"Right now, I have no idea what has happened." The Commander admitted with a sigh. "Although I think we can exonerate Seiryo Tennan from our enquiries. He's been kept to close quarters on Jurai since the settlement of that incident and I think the Emperor would have probably noticed had he suddenly gone missing and begun a random killing spree. As for the influence of magic...but I don't know. None of this makes any sense."

"Except when you think about Mihoshi's invisible people." Mitsuki looked uneasy. "Not actually invisible, of course...but much as I hate to say it, if there's no evidence of anyone being there...is it possible our scanners just aren't picking them up?"

"Unfortunately the one man who could have told us the answer to that is lying dead downstairs." The Commander said bleakly.

"Which might explain why he was killed." Mitsuki said thoughtfully. "Maybe he was always the target - and Hirayama-san walked in on the crime being committed. He tried to help his partner and was slain in the resultant struggle. That might make some sense...at least, it would explain why two Elites were struck down."

"What bothers me is that they were the two Elite officers with whom I entrusted the transfer of Kiyone Makibi to the planet Jurai." The Commander said softly. "And though I've spoken to sundry other members of the force who crewed Tsunetomo's ship that day, none of them have come up with anything that seemed out of the ordinary. It just makes no sense. First the people on the Seniwan ship. Then the attack on Yagami. Then the ransacking of Kiyone's office and now the murder of two Elites who were recently in Kiyone's company. Her name is coming up far more than I'd like in all of this. It troubles me."

"Sir, you can't think Kiyone is responsible for the murders?" Mihoshi's eyes became wide with horror. "She wouldn't! She couldn't! There's just no way!"

"Relax, Detective. I might think that Kiyone is capable of vandalising her own spaceship in a fit of pique or delusion, but I don't believe her capable of murder." The Commander held up his hand. "I didn't mean a connection of that nature. I meant more that it seems to tie into her and her specifically. That bothers me...more than I'd like to admit."

"Do you think that Kiyone was right, then? About the things she said before she was discharged?" Mitsuki demanded. The Commander bit his lip.

"It occurs to me that she might be." He admitted. "That if we accept for some reason the security scanners did not pick up the identity of the office vandal nor the person responsible for the two murders, maybe they did not also pick up the vandal who invaded Yagami and gave Kiyone such a fright. In which case, she has good reason to be angry with me - though I interpreted her anger as a symptom of her upset emotions, perhaps I overreacted. And yet..."

He frowned.

"Why your office, Mitsuki?"

"I don't know." Mitsuki admitted. "But I don't think they were killed there - either of them."

"No...no. Blood was found on board Tsunetomo's spaceship." The Commander shook his head. "Sealed and locked it might have been, but that seems to have been where they were assaulted. The bodies were moved to your office to convey a message, so it would appear. Do you have any idea what that message was?"

"Keep away." Mihoshi murmured absently.

"Mihoshi?" The Commander eyed her keenly. "What do you mean?"

"Well, if someone dumped two dead guys in my office, I'd keep well away from them from thereon in." Mihoshi raised serious eyes to her superior. "Mitsuki was digging around in Kiyone's office, just like whoever wrecked it did. And so they wanted her to stop it and they told her so. That's all."

"Mihoshi might be right." Mitsuki admitted unwillingly. "If they looked for something in Kiyone's office and didn't find it, then maybe they were sending me a message to keep out of it until they do."

"Something Kiyone had?" The Commander rubbed his chin. Mitsuki frowned, shaking her head.

"No...more likely something she still has, sir." She said softly. "We don't know who is responsible for all of this, but if Kiyone is right and they followed her to Headquarters aboard Yagami, then there must be a reason they haven't killed her yet. And a reason they're going through all her stuff, bit by bit."

She turned to her companion.

"Mihoshi, think hard. When you were aboard the Tsubasa, did Kiyone have anything or take anything that might have been important? Did you see her pick anything up?"

"No." Mihoshi looked surprised. "But we split up. I went down the hallway and found two of the crew who were dead, and Kiyone went to the drive room and found another person who was dead. And then we met up again and went back to Yagami. That's all."

"She didn't take anything with her from the ship? Nothing at all?" The Commander asked. Mihoshi shrugged.

"If she did, she didn't tell me about it." She said simply. "I don't think she would have stolen anything, sir. She's not like that and if she had taken anything as evidence, wouldn't she have given it to you when she reported? That's what we usually do, when we come back from a mission like that."

"Yes." The Commander frowned. "But Mitsuki has a point. If this thing - whatever it is - hasn't found what it's looking for yet, then it will keep looking until it does. It seems likely that Kiyone found something aboard Tsubasa that she hasn't told us about - or saw something, read something, something of that ilk. Quite possibly she hasn't realised the significance of the object herself yet - if she had, I'm sure she would have mentioned it to someone here at Headquarters."

"Perhaps she did." Mitsuki mused. "To Tsunetomo-san and Hirayama-san, on their trip to Jurai."

"Yes, that is possible." The Commander acknowledged. "Though we will never know for sure, now."

"Are you going to recall Kiyone to Headquarters, sir?" Mihoshi asked hopefully. The Commander hesitated, then shook his head.

"No, Mihoshi, I'm not. Not yet, anyway." He said heavily. "If Mitsuki's theory is correct, here is not a safe place for her to be. She's better off on Jurai, while we try and figure out what's going on. And in the meantime, I must do what I can to prepare this envoy's escort so that the delay isn't made worse than it already is. Thank you, both of you. You can go now."

"Yes, sir." Mitsuki stood, saluting and Mihoshi followed suit, raising her hand clumsily to her head in imitation of her companion. Then both women left, Mihoshi stumbling over her own feet as she went and as the door slid shut behind them the Commander sighed, burying his head in his hands.

"So have I made a huge error of judgement in trusting my security scanners over one of my best detectives?" He wondered aloud. "Are you right, Kiyone? Is there really some kind of invisible killer stalking through the halls of Headquarters and by not listening to you have I put you in the most terrible danger?"


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

"Well, this is the best shot I have, sister."

Washu sighed, dropping down into the empty seat next to Tokimi's bed as she set the ancient book down carefully on the unit beside her. Worn and bound with reeds that had been neatly coated in a tarry substance to make them last longer, the volume had been written on thick sheets of wood-based paper and as she glanced at it, Washu allowed herself a rueful smile.

"This thing is older than me." She realised. "I wonder if it was something Father used, or if it was simply seized when Senichi Tennan and his settlers came to Jurai. I don't remember Father ever reading rituals from paper, but he instructed Tokimi and I to read and write, so he must have had the ability to do so. Perhaps he just knew them so well he didn't need such things as books to remind him. Sadly I'd disgrace him now - I might have a quick memory, but I'm not as confident in my ability to do this as he always was."

She pursed her lips, resting her hand on her sister's still one.

"But I'm the best you have, Tokimi-chan, so I suppose it will just have to do." She added.

"I'm sure she could do a lot worse, Washu-sama."

A voice from the doorway made her turn, a smile crossing her face as she registered her companion. She gestured for him to join her and he did so, shutting the door quietly behind him as he came to stand beside the bed.

"Well, Lord Tennan, what brings you to my sister today?" She asked, and Seiryo offered her a grin.

"Actually, I was seeking you." He admitted, his gaze flitting to the book. "The last time we spoke, I was short with you and not very gracious. I'm sorry...you caught me off guard."

"Ah, I see." Washu's eyes glittered with amusement. "Fine diplomacy is Takeru's tactic, Seiryo-dono, not yours. I prefer it when you speak your mind - and I wasn't offended. But if you insist on apologising, I won't be rude and refuse your gesture. Either way I don't think any the worse of you for our last chat - so dispense with the unecessary social protocol, would you?"

She shrugged carelessly at his startled expression.

"Well, it's really not important. In fact, living with a daughter like mine, I'm well used to taking abuse of a much more venomous nature from time to time."

Seiryo stared at her, then he laughed.

"You are odd, but I rather respect you for it." He reflected. "But I do mean what I say. Unlike Lord Takeru, I don't hide my feelings behind pretty words."

"Then the matter is closed between us - not that I considered it to be any other way." Washu told him with a smile. "And my sister is glad of your visit, I'm sure - you are very attentive to her, and I'm grateful to that."

"Did you manage to find what you were looking for?" Seiryo asked curiously. "That book looks like it was dug up from Jurai's core...does it really have something in it that might help Tokimi heal?"

"I'm hoping so." Washu nodded. "But I haven't had a chance to test it, so it's a bit hit and miss. It won't do her any harm, at least - but it might not help her. I might not be strong enough and I've never been taught to use most of the Kii tricks and spells that the Priests and Priestesses wielded. Really I'm something of a magical neanderthal - groping around in the dark for a solution without fully understanding what I'm looking for."

She lifted the book, setting it gingerly down on her lap as she opened it at a page marked with a thick red ribbon. For a moment she ran her finger down the margin, as if looking for a keyword, then she paused, tapping the papyrus-like page with her nail as she nodded her head.

"My memory is hazy, but I'm sure I heard Father use those words once or twice when I was small." She said absently, more to herself than her companion. "So it's worth a try. At least it's doing something - which is better than sitting about and waiting to see if she'll come out of it on her own. The lingering effects of the magic in both you and Kiyone suggest that Tokimi's exposure has been far too great for her to overcome it naturally. This may be her only chance to resume any kind of a life, so I have to at least give it a shot."

"That's Kii, huh?" Seiryo peered over her shoulder. "It's funny, but some of those symbols I've seen before."

"Inside my old lab on Kihaku, where Tokimi made her base." Washu nodded her head. "Yes, you would have done. Those are the icons for Priest and for the Hakubi tribe. Tokimi wore the Hakubi eagle feather whilst she was doing Kihaku's bidding, so you must have seen it around her throat. It's also the traditional symbol for Kihaku that other planetary systems adopted - a lot of Juraian records have transcribed the Kii eagle feather into more native Old Era scripting. I noticed that while I was doing my research."

"And I've seen it on the painting of my ancestor, Senichi." Seiryo agreed. "But as for the rest of it, I wouldn't like to guess. It looks interesting, though. Almost like it's been written in code."

"Yes." Washu's eyes became thoughtful at this, and she nodded. "That's something else I must discuss with you, also."

"Excuse me?"

"Code." Washu folded her hands in her lap, eying him speculatively. "I presume that they still teach encryption and decoding at the Galaxy Police Academy?"

"The Galaxy..?" Seiryo looked nonplussed, and Washu laughed.

"Well?" She asked playfully. "You attended there - I'm told you finished top in your class when you got your Elite pips. Am I wrong?"

"No, but you are confusing me." Seiryo's brow creased as he tried to piece together the logic in his companion's words. "Why do you want to know about the Galaxy Police? Surely there's nothing I can tell you about that that your friends Detective Makibi and Detective Kuramitsu couldn't - and you have to remember, I'm no longer a member of the Elite Force."

"True. A shame, in some respects." Washu reflected. "Since you appear to have been quite good at it."

"You underestimate how popular Detective Makibi is at Headquarters." Seiryo said ruefully. "It would be untenable, once word got out. Besides, as you've realised, being in close proximity to the woman does neither of us any good. Call it a matter of pride if you like - I'd rather say I resigned my commission in order to properly take over my responsibilites as Lord of the Tennan manor. Better that than be dishonourably discharged for abusing my position and assaulting a fellow officer. As it is, I believe Azusa-sama has covered a lot of my tracks at Headquarters. I didn't ask him to, but I suspect he doesn't want the Universe knowing that his noble class go around behaving in such a manner and that situation suits me just fine."

"But it's still a shame." Washu folded her arms across her chest. "As for the encryption question - you were trained?"

"Yes, of course. It's a fundamental part of Elite instruction." Seiryo nodded.

"Were you any good at it? I mean, did you ever use it or did you avoid it like the plague?"

"Why are you so curious about my history all of a sudden?" Seiryo arched an eyebrow, suspicion flickering in his malachite eyes. "These don't sound like innocent conversational enquiries, Washu-sama. What do you really want to know?"

"Ah." Washu's eyes sparkled with humour at his directness. "All right, I'll get to the point. Kiyone brought something with her to Jurai and it strikes me, having seen it, that it's something that could be quite important. Some people were murdered in the vicinity of Kihaku a few days ago, and Kiyone is convinced that whoever did it is also responsible for other incidents - namely the ransacking of her spaceship. She's afraid more people will be hurt, and she asked me to look at it."

"I was under the impression Detective Makibi was discharged." Seiryo observed quietly. Washu nodded.

"Yes, but I don't think the word exists in her vocabulary." She said wryly. "Once Kiyone has an idea in her head it can be hard to shift it. I suppose that's what makes her so good at her job. In any case, the file in question is secured - it's encrypted but not in a style I'm familiar with. I could probably crack it, but it would take me some time. However, someone who'd had proper training..."

"I see." Seiryo's eyes darkened. "In other words, me."

"That's about the size of it, yes."

"This was your idea, or Detective Makibi's?" Seiryo asked.

"Mine, but she agreed to me asking you. I told her I would and that it would mean you didn't have to come into contact with one another directly." Washu said complacently. "She saw the logic behind it. As a regular division officer, Kiyone has never undertaken high level encryption training and it's pretty clear to me that this is high level encryption. It might be beyond you, also - but if you would take a look..."

"It won't be beyond me. I was top of my class, remember - and there are few ciphers that I can't read." Seiryo said levelly. Washu stared at him, then laughed, raising her hand in a mock salute.

"Yes sir." She said playfully. "I'm sorry I questioned your skill."

Seiryo looked sheepish, shaking his head.

"That didn't come out right." He admitted. "But what I mean to say is that I was trained by one of the best experts in the field and I found it an easy discipline to master. That's all. Unless whoever it was invented their style entirely for this file, the chances are I would be able to break it."

"That's what I hoped." Washu's eyes sparkled. "So you'll help?"

"I'm not sure." Seiryo looked thoughtful. "My position is tenuous enough at Jurai's court without dabbling in things I'm supposed to have foresworn. And if Miss Makibi's reaction to me the other day is any indication of her mental state, she might simply be suffering from a persecution complex. It might be nothing at all."

"And if it _is_ something?"

"Then she'd do well to stay away from it." Seiryo said grimly. "Encryption is a subtle message to ward people away. If you need to know, you know. If you don't, you shouldn't get involved without fully understanding what you might be involving yourself in. It could be dangerous - for her, for me, and for you."

"I think that she knows that. And me, I don't mind a little danger." Washu shrugged her shoulders. "If you won't help, Seiryo-dono, I will look at it and take however long it takes to crack into it - because I think Kiyone might have something important. But it would be quicker if you did help. And people's lives may be saved as a result."

"Detective Makibi is that convinced, huh?"

"Yes, and she's too good an officer for me to doubt her conviction."

"Me, also. That's what worries me." Seiryo admitted. "She could be walking right into a danger zone."

"But...?"

"You don't give up, do you?" Seiryo eyed her ruefully. Washu shook her head.

"Not usually, no." She agreed cheerfully. "Well? Will you join us in the risk taking and have a look?"

Seiryo sighed, then he nodded his head slowly.

"I suppose I owe you enough for your continued protection of Suki's secret, and besides, I don't think that I can do enough penance in the eyes of the world where Kiyone Makibi is concerned." He said heavily. "All right...if that's really what you want. But don't blame me if it's something you don't want to read. Pandora's box only opens one way, you know."

"Yes, I know." Washu agreed solemnly. "Thank you, Lord Tennan. Your assistance is appreciated."

She glanced back towards the bed, biting her lip as she did so.

"And now my mind has to be on Tokimi." She added. "So we'll discuss Kiyone's file further later, if you're willing to trust in a mad scientist and meet me in my temporary lab. I can't focus on anything else now if this is going to have any chance of working...I have to concentrate on my sister and her needs."

She set the book aside, getting to her feet as she grasped Tokimi's hands in hers. Her sister's skin was cool to the touch, and there was no responding movement as Washu tightened her grip, glancing down at the rows of characters then setting her teeth. Her brow creased in concentration, she carefully read out the blessing exactly as it had been written in the ancient text, willing her sister to open her eyes, but it was to no avail. Tokimi lay as still and silent as ever, stuck in her deep coma, and Washu bit her lip, dropping her sister's hands back onto the blanket with a murmur of frustration.

"I guess I was wrong." She observed quietly. "I guess Kii prayers can't help her, either."

"You seem remarkably keen to give up." Seiryo remarked, leaning back against the window of the brightly lit infirmary room as he folded his arms across his chest. "Almost as if you expected it to fail."

"I suppose that I did." Washu admitted. "My magic has very few successful outcomes, on the whole. Father might have used these spells to help new mothers or the victims of accidents when I was a girl, but I never paid enough attention to know exactly how he did it. I only got frustrated because he would only help those he felt the World had chosen to save, and that didn't seem logical or right to me. I suppose I didn't try to understand - and now Tokimi is probably paying for it."

"Maybe you're sabotaging yourself. And perhaps my being here is distracting you." Seiryo mused. Washu stared at him.

"Pardon me?"

"Well, you expect to fail, so you have failed." Seiryo said frankly. "If I'd had that kind of attitude after my hearing, I'd probably have hanged myself from one of these blessed royal trees by now. I don't know about you, but there are a lot of things I believe the mind can overcome if it's allowed the chance to do so. It's just a case of choosing to succeed, not choosing to fail."

Washu stared at him as if seeing him for the first time, then she began to laugh.

"Oh, and to think one as old and experienced as me would be getting a lecture from an ambitious young nobleman who's barely even begun to see the things the universe might hold." She said softly. "And yet, Seiryo-dono, I believe you may be right."

"Well, it might surprise you, but it isn't the first time in my life that I've said something that makes good sense." Seiryo said astutely. "It seems to me that, if you want to help Tokimi, you're going to have to do more than read her poetry - or whatever that is. I'm afraid I don't much believe in actual spells and incantations - even if I do believe in the application of magic. That was rather forced on me, but I don't think that words on a page are going to heal Tokimi. If they were able to, then everyone would be doing it. Wouldn't they?"

"Yes, I suppose they would." Washu looked thoughtful, her eyes narrowing as she digested his words. "All right, Lord Tennan who doesn't believe in spells and incantations. What do you believe in, that might help my sister recover? I'm no true blue witch myself, and I'd much rather look for a solution somewhere else. But I've exhausted all scientific avenues and this is my last hope. What do _you_ think will help Tokimi recover?"

"That should be obvious, if you really are a genius." Seiryo's eyes danced with amusement as he regarded her. "The same thing Suki gave me, when I first came back to Jurai. She's the reason I fought through it all, you know. Her support, her being there...I suppose the fact that she loved me as much as she did. It was something to hold onto - and it kept me away from the edge more times than I can recall. I wasn't alone."

He gestured to Tokimi.

"She's alone and she has been for a very long time." He added. "She commandeered Clay and I but not in the same way as you might call on a relative or someone close to you. She was fixated with you even when she was acting for Kihaku, Washu-sama. She was anxious to keep you out of things, and yet it was obvious you were always in her thoughts, too. She lost her world just as surely as you lost yours, didn't she? And she lost her sister too."

"Yes. Perhaps she did." Washu bit her lip. "I think I see what you're saying. It isn't magic spells that might bring her back - not on their own, not unless I mean the words I say and put my heart and soul into saying them. The truth is I feel a little bit strange, speaking words in a tongue I've barely acknowledged for centuries and acting in a way I always condemned when I was younger. I feel like a hypocrite even doing this. Maybe I've become too self conscious."

"Shall I step outside?" Seiryo asked quietly. "I will, if you like."

"No...you've given me some sound advice and I'm glad of it." Washu shook her head. "And besides, you gave me your assurance that you would take care of my sister, whatever the outcome of my experiments. You should be here."

She hesitated, then put her hand against Tokimi's cheek, brushing stray wisps of long brown hair out of her sister's face as she did so.

"I do want to help you, Tokimi." She murmured. "And I have to stop making excuses for myself, don't I? I've always been a scientist, I've never really practiced this kind of magic, Kihaku was destroyed so it affected me...bah. All of those things are irrelevant. If I can forgive you for the bad things you did under Kihaku's influence, then I need to forgive myself for not studying harder when Father wanted me to, and for destroying our planet because it was the only thing I could do at the time. And now none of those things should matter, because it's what Seiryo-dono said. You're my sister and you need my support. So...so that's what I'll give you. As much of it as I can, and more."

She placed her other hand across Tokimi's brow, closing her eyes as she willed all her strength into her sister's pale, motionless body. As she did so, colours and lights seemed to flash and flicker through her head, startling and disorientating her, but she persisted, not releasing her grip as she redoubled her strength and determination. As dizziness threatened to claim her, she muttered the words from the Kii text under her breath, more to steady her mind than for any other reason, but as she did so, something flared up inside of her, teasing and dancing at her senses as she felt a prickle of electricity spread across her body, darting through each of her fingers and into the still form that lay before her. She let out a faint gasp as the energy seared through her but just as quickly as it had come, it was gone, and as giddiness washed over her, she opened her eyes, blinking once or twice as she removed shaking hands from her sister's skin.

She drew a deep breath into her body, gripping hold of the edge of the bed as she struggled to realign her thoughts into some semblance of normality. At length the room steadied itself and she sighed, reaching a hand up to her head as a sudden wave of exhaustion began to seep through every inch of her body.

"Washu-sama?" Seiryo's voice was a long way away, and for a moment Washu could not focus on it. Instead she sank down into her seat, reaching for Tokimi's cool fingers and clasping them loosely in her own as she glanced anxiously at her sister's face.

"Tokimi?" She murmured gently. "Can you hear me? It's time to wake up."

She spoke in Kii, and somehow doing so seemed to settle her jumping heart. For a moment the room around her seemed peaceful and still, and Washu held her breath, almost unwilling to break the strange spell that seemed to have pervaded the room. Then, as if aware of her sister's touch, the figure in the bed let out a faint murmur, eyelids trembling and then flickering open to reveal confused sapphire eyes that stared all around her in fear and alarm.

"_Tokimi_!" Seiryo let out an exclamation, and Tokimi's eyes became bigger at the suddenness of the sound, her grip on Washu's hand tightening as the scientist bit her lip, gazing down on her sister with tears on her own lashes.

"Hello, Tokimi-chan." She murmured. "I told you you'd slept enough. Time to wake up, now. Time to wake up."

Tokimi blinked, as if bringing her companion into focus, and then a tiny, faint smile touched her lips.

"Onee-sama." She whispered.

------------

"I thought we were never going to get through Headquarters' security check."

The tall, middle-aged man folded his arms across his stomach, gazing out at the stars with a heavy sigh of relief as he observed the flashing signals that indicated his craft had clearance to leave the dock. "What with the delay we'd already suffered and the problem with assigning us escort officers - you'd almost think Jurai paid them to keep us here a few days more while they finished preparing their side of the negotiations."

"That's a touch cynical, sir, if I may say so." The young man at his side looked amused, shaking his head. "Emperor Azusa has been very good about hearing our various questions and pleas in recent weeks and months. You surely aren't going to go into this encounter expecting him to have a devil up his sleeve?"

"Imperial will has always come at a price to the colonies. You know that - or do you not remember what happened on Kihaku?" The middle aged man reminded his companion. "No, Toyonaga, I've played this game for too many years not to expect the worst and hope for the best when entering Juraian space."

"Perhaps you're right." Toyonaga inclined his head slightly. "But the Galaxy Police escort should at least help provide us with some support and neutrality, should Jurai's intentions be other than what we expect. Kumashiro-sama, that was a stroke of genius."

"Maybe." The diplomat allowed himself a wry smile. "At least I feel I can trust the Galaxy Police."

"Sir...may I ask you a question?" Toyonaga looked inquisitive, eying his master uncertainly. Kumashiro nodded his head.

"Of course." He said, surprised. "What's bothering you?"

"Why did you bring Miss Sakuya aboard this ship? If you're so sure of hostility from the planet Jurai, why would you put your daughter so much at risk?"

"Ah, I see." Kumashiro's expression became a broad smile. "Well, cunning a fox as I believe Azusa-heika to be, I don't think that he'd hurt a child. That being the case, I think Sakuya will be quite safe on our arrival. More to the point, however, Azusa's own younger niece, Lady Sasami, is about the same age as Sakuya is. It might be nice for her to have a little playmate."

"Or a spy?" Toyonaga raised an eyebrow. Kumashiro laughed.

"Must you be so blunt?" He reproached his assistant playfully. "Yes, if you must put it like that...a spy. Lady Sasami is young and innocent and if memory serves, always eager to make new friends. She is also held in extremely high esteem by her family and the courtiers alike. My daughter understands how important this trip is to the planet Jurai - and what I'm asking of her to do. It's not as though it's anything particularly bad. After all, if the Emperor is on the level about granting us the majority of our requests, I will be well satisfied with the outcome. Sakuya is my backup plan, however. There are many things she might discover which could prove advantageous to us, if negotiations are not as swiftly settled as they should be."

"My Lord Diplomat, do you intend to resort to blackmailing the Emperor?" Toyonaga's eyes widened in surprise, and Kumashiro let out an amused chuckle.

"Again, so crude!" He admonished. "But gentle persuasion can be helpful in situations such as this. There are many things which Jurai's crown manages to bury before people outside hear about them. I don't know whether any of these things are relevant to what we want to do, or whether they can be used to our advantage. However, I like to be prepared. As I told you, Toyonaga, I have been in this game too long."

"If Jurai only cut us free from it's shackles, then there'd be none of this." Toyonaga said absently. "This isn't the age of Jurai's empire building any longer - and we wouldn't be the first colony to hope for freedom. But Azusa is far too fond of our mineral reserves and the fabric exports we plough into his world to consider that. It's a shame, really."

"One step at a time. Small specks of dust can build a mountain." Kumashiro said quietly. "This is at least progress. We should be thankful for that."

"Kumashiro-sama!"

At that moment the door of the chamber slid open to reveal a Galaxy Police officer, clad in regulation blue and white as he gave the diplomat a harried, sharp salute. There was agitation in his grey eyes, and Kumashiro frowned, getting to his feet.

"Whatever is the matter, Agent Kuzaka?" He asked softly. "Is there something I should know about?"

"Sir, your captain requests your company in the drive room as soon as possible. Mr Toyonaga, also." The agent said quietly. "There seems to be something wrong with the ship's navigation system - it looks like we've managed to stray off course somehow since leaving Headquarters, and try as he might, he can't bring up anything on the radar."

"I see." Kumashiro's eyes narrowed. "Then we'll come there directly. Tell me, Agent Kuzaka, there are no magnetic fields in this part of space, I think?"

"No, sir. We've passed two Juraian outposts and they've signalled us clear to go through without having to disembark for the checkpoint." The Agent shook his head. "Since we're aboard your ship, and since you're travelling under the diplomatic white flag, it should have been smooth sailing. But the radar readings aren't making sense and the captain wants to know how we should act."

"I think I should see for myself, before I make any judgement." Kumashiro pulled his cape more tightly around his body, following the agent briskly up the steps to the drive room. As the door slid back, he stepped inside, stopping with an exclamation as he registered the scene before him. The Agent swore profusely, then clapped his hand over his mouth as he realised whose company he was in, bowing apologetically in the diplomat's direction. Kumashiro was paying him no attention, however, as he hurried toward the captain's chair, placing a tentative finger against the pale white skin of the man's neck. Blood gushed across his uniform from a wound at his throat, staining the pale cloth in an ever growing red motif. A small pool of the crimson liquid was beginning to gather on the control panel, seeping slowly inbetween the buttons as it spread further and further towards the ship's main monitor.

"What the hell?" Toyonaga exclaimed, a stricken look entering his expression. "Agent Kuzaka, this man was alive when you brought us his message?"

"I assure you that he was, Toyonaga-san." The Agent nodded his head. He looked grim, crouching at the captain's side as he methodically examined the body. "Very much alive. However..."

"However, someone else got here before we did." Kumashiro said quietly. "I thought we'd been careful to select delegates who were entirely loyal to our cause. Is it possible that a spy has entered our midst somehow? That someone on Azusa's payroll has slid in here undercover, to keep us from ever reaching his planet?"

"Such things are considered treason in these parts, sir." The Agent glanced up, eying the man seriously.

"Not if they prove to be true." Kumashiro's eyes narrowed. "Toyonaga, go to Sakuya's room and stay with her, please. I won't have her disturbed by any of this business and you're the only one of us not covered in blood. Meanwhile, Agent Kuzaka, I want you to assemble your people and ours in the bay below. I wish to speak to them...all of them. If there is a traitor among them, I want to get rid of them before we get any closer to Jurai. I won't let anyone have the satisfaction of seeing us rattled."

"Yes sir." The Agent nodded his head, as Toyonaga hurried off to do his master's bidding. "At once."

He saluted again, following Toyonaga from the drive room and Kumashiro found himself once more alone, running his fingers hesitantly across the navigation panel as he scanned over the coordinates the ship had been following. He frowned, shaking his head.

"It seems all over the place, and yet that can't be right. We've scarce changed course since we left Headquarters and the speed that this craft travels - it wouldn't be able to make such sharp turns without people being aware of it." He murmured. "So something has interfered with the radar. I wonder if it was the same thing that interfered with the captain."

His gaze rested briefly on the corpse of his companion, and he sighed.

"Poor man." He murmured. "And it will be on my head to relay the news to his family. If this is a game of Azusa's..."

He shook his head, turning his back on the mess and heading slowly out of the drive room, making his way along the corridor towards the main ship's bay. As he did so, the lights around him flickered and danced as if power to the ship was being flipped on and on, disorientating him and making him feel dizzy. He grimaced, setting his teeth as the overhead lights blew out one at a time, plunging him into complete darkness as he manoevred his way carefully along the narrow walkway, groping ahead of him for the catch that would release the door to the bay. As he did so, he heard a grating noise, followed by a whoosh of air and a whistling sound echoed along the passage as the ship shunted forward suddenly. At that moment the engines began to sputter, and his heart in his throat, the diplomat realised what the noises meant.

"The cargo doors." He whispered. "Someone released...but there was noone there! That's impossible. There was noone in the drive room of this ship. Nobody!"

The grating sound resumed, and as suddenly as it had begun, the whistling stopped dead, leaving the man in eerie silence. Swallowing hard, the diplomat felt his way feverishly along the hallway, finally finding the catch he was looking for and flipping it across. The door to the storage bay swung back, and he stepped inside, half expecting to find a scene of similar chaos as the one he had witnessed in the ship's main control centre.

But the room was empty.

Frowning, Kumashiro hurried to the window, putting his hands to the glass as he gazed out into the surrounding space. An exclamation passed his lips as he made out shapes in the blackness, and a cold chill touched his heart as he recognised some of them as men who had boarded his ship in good faith. Numbly he counted them one at a time, the flash of blue on one or two of them marking them out as officers of the Galaxy Police. His hands drifted towards the release lever for the rescue capsules, but then faltered as he realised there was nothing he could do for them. His impulse had been right, he realised grimly. Someone had released the bay doors - and sucked the vast majority of the crew into space.

"_Sakuya!_"

Alarm flooded his thoughts as he remembered his daughter was aboard this craft and he turned on his heel, hurrying back the way he had come as he made his way cautiously up the steps towards the top floor and Sakuya's chamber. Here, the lights remained on, and somehow Kumashiro was comforted by this fact as he counted his way along the corridor towards the small room that had been given over as Sakuya's sleeping quarters. He knocked on the door sharply.

"Sakuya?" He called. "Toyonaga?"

Deathly silence greeted his words, and, his heart in his throat, Kumashiro ran his fingers over the outside lock, overriding the door code and waiting impatiently for the door to open. At length it did so, and a horrified gasp escaped his lips as he registered the prone body of his faithful aide sprawled at his feet, blood pooling in an arc around his head. Feeling sick inside, Kumashiro stepped gingerly over the fallen man, averting his gaze from the wide glassy eyes and the evil gash that had spoken for a man who had become more like a friend than an inferior colleague.

"Sakuya?" He whispered. "Sakuya-chan...are you here?"

"Daddy?"

The uncertain words of a little girl sparked him into action and he hurried forward, flinging his arms protectively around the child as he did so.

"Sakuya." He murmured. "It's all right. You're safe now. We'll be fine."

Sakuya just stared at him with blank, confused eyes, and Kumashiro stroked her dark hair absently.

"We have to get out of here. To the escape pods." He said quietly. "Can you come with me, sweetheart? It's all right - so long as you stay close to Father, everything will be fine."

"I'm afraid that's where you're wrong, Honoured Kumashiro-san."

A voice echoed across the room at that moment, and as Kumashiro glanced up in horror he saw a form flicker and take shape before him, offering him a faint, amused smile as she took in his expression. She bowed her head mockingly in his direction.

"I'm sorry for the inconvenience." She whispered. "But your ship is going to Jurai, and so am I."

"Who are you?" The diplomat's grip around his daughter tightened as he glared at the intruder angrily. "Who are you and what do you want?"

"Nothing that will concern you." The apparition shook her head. "Or did you not see what happened to your colleagues? The same fate awaits you."

"You? But how? And why?" Kumashiro demanded, fear flickering in his eyes. "What did we do to you?"

"Nothing at all." The intruder admitted. "Except that you are in my way. Nothing must stop me from getting to planet Jurai...and your people were beginning to ask questions about my changes to the navigation system. Curiosity got the better of your captain and I can't have that. Just as it might get back to the Galaxy Police Elite that I was here, It might get back to the Emperor and his family, that I want to pay them a visit. That is a risk I cannot take."

"But..."

Kumashiro swallowed, then,

"I won't tell. We won't tell. Please, let us go...or at the very least, let my daughter go. Let her go!"

"Your daughter?" The apparition's eyes flickered thoughtfully, her gaze resting on the frightened girl that clung to her father in fear. She let out an amused chuckle, a strange light entering her gaze as the girl gave a gasp, falling limply against the diplomat's shoulder.

"What did you do!"

"Put her to sleep." The intruder's eyes narrowed angrily. "Or did you not know that this is how Jurai treats the children of those they do not trust?"

"You are Juraian! You _are_ from Azusa!"

"No." The apparition shook her head, reaching out ghostly fingers as she looped them around his arm, pulling him forcibly away from his daughter. "I have no love for Jurai. But I have an old score to settle and I will settle it. I killed your crew and I will kill you too, you stupid man. After all, nobody can prevent me from taking my revenge on that planet for what they did to me all those years ago!"


End file.
